Watchers of Raikou
by Gazmof
Summary: An original character, Zak, travels to Johto to discover the truth about his father's mysterious disappearance. Now extensively rewritten, relive the epic adventure of Watchers of Raikou! This story is now complete.
1. From Shadows Reborn

Disclaimer: I do not own or pretend to own the Pokemon phenomonon. If I did, do you seriously think I'd be writing this as fan fiction? I can quite safely assume no. So in that case, I don't own the Pokemon games, anime or manga series, but I do own this story and the original characters who appear in it. Also note that the paragraphs aren't spaced. This is because cannot upload files correctly to save its life. So without further ado...

* * *

A huge, devastating blast of orange fire crashed down into the snow-covered, rocky valley below. Golem flinched at the impact, but continued pushing back against the onslaught, growling deeply in an attempt to boost it's strength. Hovering high up in the clear blue sky above, the large, powerful form of a Dragonite, it's leathery, orange wings beating proudly, watched it's opponent struggle. Riding atop the beast was a man wearing a stern, anxious expression on his face. He knew how much this Pokemon battle meant.

"You must stop this madness, Geol!" the rider called down to where the opposing trainer stood, his form hunched over and his figure obscured by the large, dark brown trench coat he wore. The man's eyes focused entirely on his Golem, it's giant, round form covered in armour-like stone plates.

"That I cannot do, Lance." Geol shouted back in reply, not removing his gaze from the battling Pokemon.

"Then you leave me no choice!" Lance declared, pointing down towards Golem. Despite the protection of his bulky jacket and long, flowing cape, both bearing the insignia of 'Official Johto Pokemon League Champion', Lance shivered as a frosty wind began to pick up. The northern mountains of Johto were notoriously cold all year round and Dragonite's current altitude offered little relief from the temperature. His long, spiky pink hair ruffled in the breeze before he shouted out the orders to his Pokemon. "Dragonite, let's dive down and finish this battle off!"

The flying lizard nodded it's approval and immediately swooped down towards the waiting Golem. Geol, standing atop a nearby ice-covered boulder, watched with gritted teeth as the attacker came closer, and closer, and closer, until he could eventually call out his orders.

"Golem, Explosion now!" Everything seemed to turn silent as the man raised his voice and leapt backwards without a second glance as a huge blast of intense fire engulfed the entire mountaintop and the figures of Golem, Dragonite and Lance all became lost in the inferno. The next thing he could see was total darkness as he rolled down the jagged rock slide until after several minutes the ground beneath him finally became horizontal once more.

Harsh, ragged breathing filled the dark, black void of silence; the very warmth of the man's breath sucked away by the bitterly cold, unforgiving air of the claustrophobic cave that surrounded and absorbed his presence. He shivered, removing a large glove from his right hand and placing his palm against his chest. His body temperature had dropped dramatically during the past five hours in which he had already been here. He coughed gently before deciding to move forward, further into the darkness.

"Zak..." he whispered to himself, his voice sounding soft and weak. "I'm sorry."

* * *

The huge, towering shadow of the SS Aqua came roaring into view of the comparatively small port of Olivine. On the top deck, staring out towards his destination was a young man. Around sixteen years of age, he had silky, jet black hair of a reasonable length, rising an inch or so above and over his forehead, the back cut just above his neck. If you had judged him by his clothing, the only distinguishing factor about him would be the black, loosely fastened belt hanging from his waist that carried six red and white spheres. If you got close enough, you could even see a minute line of text in dark brown stitching along his right hip which read: 'Zak Vangard - May your legend be the greatest of all'. His eyes, however, seemed to tell a different story; a sign of ambition and determination. The white shirt he wore blew against the coastal breeze in time with that of his own, flowing hair, as he leaned over the handrails, watching the new city, and this promising new land, come into view. Below his shirt he wore a pair of navy blue jeans and below them were sneakers that had clearly been well-worn and were covered in minor dirt and grass stains. The boat began to dock, causing the boy to turn and head towards the ship's exit.

Emerging from the liner, he made his way through the docks, and into the streets of Olivine. It wasn't a particularly large town, but compared to his home village, it was a bustling metropolis of sights and sounds. He had never been to Johto before; in fact, he had never left the small island country of his birth until today. It seemed to be a historic moment in his life, and one small step on the road of his journey.

He continued to walk through the fisherman's marketplace, where sailors and merchants were selling and inspecting goods to be bought. One was even showing off his prize Machoke, a well-built Pokemon of the Fighting-type. The young trainer was intrigued by this - he had only ever seen such a creature in the Pokemon research books he would often read at home to pass the time. Fixing his gaze back on the path, he made his way past the last of the stalls.

Zak had soon made his way to the outskirts of the harbour town, noticing a large building which dwarfed the others in size. Upon closer inspection, the sign hanging above the door read: 'Olivine City Pokemon Gym', including details of the leader and the type of Pokemon they used. He paused for a moment, his mind deep in thought, then looked to his watch. It was around ten thirty AM, and he had been told to meet with an old associate of his father's in the city of Ecruteak, several miles to the east of here. Hopefully he could give Zak some information on his father's whearabouts. Turning away from the Gym, he made his way down the path towards the next town.

The sun was still shining brightly in the sky, with little or no clouds up above. It was a truly beautiful day, and Zak wondered whether it was always this warm in Johto. The path was quite dusty, and many footprints had been made in the soil, probably due to the amount of tourists traveling to and from the harbour. Fields of bright, green grass covered the rest of the route, with the view broken only by the large trees which lined the edges several yards away from the path itself. He had seen several Pidgeys and Spearows as he walked, but had decided not to disturb them, since he wasn't attempting to become a fabled 'Pokemon Master'. The only thing he cared about was trying to locate his father, who had mysteriously disappeared seven months ago.

Though he only had three Pokemon, he had trained them well, or at least, as well as he could on the small island he had lived on. Most of the villagers would merely use the creatures to help them in their daily chores, such as cultivating the land for crops, gathering food and firewood; even to chase off thieving birds from eating the seeds they had sown. His greatest, and strongest, Pokemon, was by far the Nidoqueen he owned. He had caught it in the forest overlooking the village as a Nidoran a few years back. Around three months before today, he had found a bizarre stone which, despite being in the sun for hours, would stay as cold as ice when touched. He recalled it glittering oddly, then causing his Nidoran to evolve after she had found it on his bedside cabinet and attempted to eat it.

Zak smiled at the memories he had of the village, before his step-mother had asked him to leave for Johto to try and find his father again. He was reluctant to leave at first, insisting that his father could take care of himself, and that she needed Zak's help at home. But just two weeks ago, the village had been attacked by an incredibly odd youth...

Zak stopped for a second and looked behind him. He had become lost in his thoughts again, and hadn't realised that just over an hour had passed since he left the harbour town. His legs shook, letting him know that he was tired and needed to rest. An examination of the area revealed a small tree just cropping out a yard or so away from the path itself. Relieved to find such a perfect spot to take a break, he sat down underneath the cooling shade of it's leaves and stared up into the clear, blue sky, remembering that day...

Zak had just been to collect the firewood needed to last the next few days for his step-mother. Though they weren't related by blood, he still considered her to be close enough to his real parent. They would rarely argue and in fact, they got along as if they were close friends. His father had been away for months now 'on business', though exactly what that involved was still a mystery to him. Zak's father worked as a high-ranking security advisor to the Silph company's Johto division, market leaders in Pokemon research and technology, and as a result he was rarely at home, his longest trips usually lasting a maximum of four months or so.

Zak smiled to himself; it was a good family to have, and a good place to live, even if there were no other villagers around his age. He had a half-sister, who would be approaching the age of six soon, and she would often keep him company when he wasn't working on the land with the rest of the adults. He remembered turning the corner which would lead him back home that day, just around the edge of the woods, when he noticed huge flames rising from the village houses. Smoke towered up into the air, fire bending and distorting the air around it with intense heat. Dropping the firewood, Zak dashed towards his homestead, mind blank, not wanting to try and take in what it had just seen.

"Mom!" he shouted desperately as he approached the inferno that was once his house. "Sora! Where are you?" there was no answer. Raging fires broke the otherwise total silence. The entire area was empty, the grass singed and the crops ravaged, with no signs of life anywhere to be seen.

Zak stared around for a moment, still trying to absorb and make sense of what he was witnessing, when he began to hear a laughter, making itself known in seconds. He looked up to see a figure with long, untamed hair rising up and just over his forehead. The stranger seemed to be dressed in a large, bulky material, but because of the flames rising from the roof on where they were standing, making out any kind of detail was impossible.

"Who are you?" Zak cried, his right hand shooting to his waist, ready to unleash one of the monsters he had been training for many years. "Did you do this?" there was no response. "ANSWER ME!" the figure turned and began to laugh again, then raised his head to allow the illumination of the fire to reveal his face.

"Where is Geol?" he asked, his sick smile turning to an angry frown, a growl present deep in his throat. Zak's eyes widened.

"My father?" he stammered. "What do you want with my father?" the stranger's anger became more audible, as he raised an arm and pointed what appeared to be a thick spear towards Zak.

"I'll ask you one more time..." he hissed. "Where is Geol Vangard?" Zak hesitated before answering.

"...I don't know!"

"You are lying!" the man spat, tightening his grip on the weapon in his hand, obviously preparing to strike, causing Zak to grab one of the spheres on his belt and throw it towards the newcomer.

"Go, Nidoqueen!" a flash of white light occured, revealing a large humanoid shaped creature, covered in light purple and blue plates of natural armour. It bore a small horn on it's forehead and growled low, eying the stranger suspiciously. It's small but sharp claws extended from it's stone-like paws, before it launched itself towards it's target. The man jumped from the roof, throwing a projectile of his own towards his attacker.

"Charizard!" he called as the same light appeared from the ball in his hands, releasing a large, deep-orange coloured dragon, towering just over two feet taller than it's purple adversary. The tip of it's tail burned brightly, as it flapped it's large, scaly wings and grinned, snorting slightly and creating a puff of smoke from it's nostrils. "It's time to play..."

Zak stepped back, staring at the Pokemon in awe. Shaking his head and bringing himself back to reality, he pointed at the dragon.

"Nidoqueen, use your Ice Beam!" the armoured beast growled and opened it's mouth, generating white energy inside before blasting it straight towards it's rival. The Charizard met it's attack with a stream of fire from it's mouth, fighting back the onslaught but to no avail, eventually having to quickly dodge, then counterattack with it's claws. The dragon snarled and slashed away as the opposing Pokemon struggled to defend itself. "Your feet, use your feet!"

Nidoqueen's eyes opened. Hearing the call of her master she obeyed, and kicked back at the Charizard, which again dodged and took into the air.

"Keep your guard up-!" Zak's words were cut off as the man sweep kicked him from behind, causing him to fall to the burnt ground. He quickly rolled forward and got to his feet, turning to face his attacker, breathing heavily.

From this distance Zak could now see the figure's image more clearly. His hair was a deep, fiery red, intense in colour at the root, a darkened orange at the tips - at least the hair at the front of his head. The colour difference wasn't obvious - you had to concentrate to notice it, but it was there nonetheless. Several strands of it covered his forehead, yet it was wild and untame, not like Zak's. His eyes appeared to be a deep, quite bright green, like that of an emerald, yet his face was sharp and looked decidedly malicious. The bulky clothing he wore now appeared to be a strangely customised suit of armour. He had shoulder pads and a chest plate, whilst the rest of his stomach and torso was covered in a flexible, black coloured undersuit. His arms and hands were bare, whilst the lower portion of his body was dressed in slightly darker black pants made of a mixture of polyester and cotton, forming a bizarre contrast in his clothing. A blue belt, slightly brighter than navy, and similar in style to Zak's, hung off his waist, complete with Pokeballs. The weapon he once held was now sheathed at his waist, and looked like more of a short lance than a spear, as Zak had originally thought.

"Wait a second..." Zak murmured, eyes widening as he suddenly realised something. "You're about my age!"

The youth didn't answer, instead charging at Zak, forcing the two to fight amongst the burning inferno. The warrior lunged at Zak, who slid underneath his attacker and kicked him in the stomach, sending him flying into a nearby window. The boy emerged, wiping the blood from his mouth, his frown becoming angrier. He looked up, then smiled, laughing.

"You're pretty good..." he commented. "Who are you?"

"I'd like to ask you the same thing!" Zak growled in response.

"...Very well..." the boy conceded. "I am called Knite." Zak paused before answering.

"Well that makes sense..." he muttered, once again glancing at Knite's uniform with a slightly perplexed look on his face. "I'm Zak Vangard."

"That explains it..." Knite whispered to himself. He stepped back, then smiled sinisterly again. "We may meet again," he declared, walking away from the burning wreckage of Zak's house. "Charizard, come!" the firey Pokemon broke away from it's own battle, then returned to the form of white light, absorbed by the red and white ball in Knite's hand.

"Hey, wait!" Zak called. "Come back!" he ran just past the ruins of his house, wanting to give chase, but instead stayed, and hurried to find his family. His memories faded and his vision came back into focus as he returned from his day dream...

Zak took his gaze from the sky and watched the dirt path in front of him. Opposite him was a small Pidgey, searching for food in the long grass. Fortunately, nobody had been injured during the fire. The villagers had all taken refuge in the forest, and emerged after Zak had chased off Knite. His smile turned to a frown, vaguely tracing his fingers over the crescent moon pendant of his necklace as he wondered what exactly Knite had wanted with his father. Sighing, he got to his feet and continued the trek to Ecruteak.


	2. Mystery in Ecruteak

The sunlight was breaking through the gaps in the leaves of the trees hanging over the path Zak was walking along, forming a relieving shade for travelers weary from the sun.

Zak wiped his forehead; the heat had been pounding down on him since his arrival in this new country, causing him to sweat as if he were back working on the land at home. He stopped walking for a moment, checking the back of his belt where a clear, plastic bottle of water was clipped securely to his waist. Taking it in his hands, he unscrewed the cap and took a swig of the nourishing liquid, then tipped a generous amount from the bottle over his face to cool himself down.

Running his fingers through his hair to catch any escaped water, he hooked the bottle securely back on his belt and continued to make his way towards his destination of Ecruteak.

As he walked, he evaluated his Pokemon in his mind. His second was a Fearow, which he had caught as a Spearow, and had later given it the opportunity to evolve through training. Though not as strong as his Nidoqueen, it was still a formidable opponent to a serious Pokemon trainer, though it was doubtful Zak would win a major prize or trophy with it. He smiled, recalling how it had attempted to feast on the seeds just recently planted in the field behind Zak's house. His mother had insisted he try and chase it away, but it was fiercely resistant, and attempted to fight back at him. Instead of chasing it away, Zak had caught it, making the small bird his first ever Pokemon, which he lovingly named 'Pick', causing his mother to laugh at his choice. Though the Spearow took a while to come to terms with it's new master, Zak was eventually accepted.

The trainer came to the corner of the path which was signaled by a road-sign. He read over it, and was then relieved to see the words: 'Ecruteak City'. Turning to face the new direction the track had revealed, Zak saw a kind of arched building just beyond the edge of the path, behind a few short trees lining the entrance of the city. Happy that he had finally made it, he picked up the pace and headed towards the concealed archway, where he would be able to finally discover the truth about his father's location.

Making his way through the small hut which connected the path to the town, the young trainer stared around the place in awe, taking in the sights and sounds. It seemed quite primitive, not at all like the bustling port of Olivine, where he had just been. The bricks of buildings were worn and chipped, and the entire area was surrounded by dense forest. There were two other entrances, apart from the one he had come through - one being to the south, the other to the east. All three gateways looked identical, and the only way to tell which was which was by checking the direction of the other houses. To his left were the charred remains of a large building - why it hadn't been repaired yet he didn't know. There was a large tower just to the north, further shrouded in trees.

Remembering what he had come here for, Zak began to search his pockets, then pulled out a small, dark blue wallet which fitted snugly in his palm. Inside was a scrap of paper, on which his mother had scribbled the address of his father's old friend and business associate. She had told Zak to ask the man, who lived in Ecruteak, just where his father was. He would surely know the answers.

Walking through the small city, vaguely tracing the address on the paper with his eyes, Zak made his way to a small house on the eastern edge of town. Nervously, he knocked on the door, waiting for a response. After a while the handle slowly turned, revealing the room that lay inside, inch by inch. A man, in his late forties by the looks of things, stared down at the youth with eyes that showed no sign of expression.

"Yes?" he asked gruffly.

"Um..." Zak stammered before answering. "Are you Mr. Lunata?" There was an uncomfortable pause filled with silence. Hesitantly, Zak continued. "I'm Geol Vangard's son, I..." the man's eyes widened, then he raised a hand to silence him.

"Come, come." he whispered, looking around outside before allowing a slightly confused Zak to enter his house.

The room was dimly lit, and Zak couldn't see well at all. At the centre of the back wall was a large candle, held in place by a decorative statue portraying what looked like a samurai warrior, about four feet high. On either side of the ornament was a single, smaller candle, each one standing in a small saucer of water on the same large cabinet, which stretched from wall to wall. The man made his way to a padded armchair a few feet away from the left candle and sat himself down, motioning to it's empty twin opposite. Zak obeyed and took a seat, slightly hesitant to make himself too comfortable.

"Now tell me..." the man began, taking a pipe from the side of the table and examining it. "What is your name, young one?"

"Zak." the visitor replied. Mr. Lunata seemed amused by this.

"Ah..." he mumbled to himself, lighting the instrument in his hands and putting it to his mouth. "And... What seems to be the matter? It must be something urgent for you to come all this way..." Zak nodded his response.

"Yes, it is." he answered. "My father... He left home seven months ago, and we haven't seen or heard from him since."

"Your father always was an explorer at heart, boy." the man chuckled, puffing out smoke from his pipe.

"But he's never been away this long before!" Zak explained, his voice rising. "My mother was worried, and..."

"And?" Lunata interrupted rather abruptly.

"And..." Zak murmured, lowering his gaze to the wooden floorboards below his feet. "And two weeks ago... A Pokemon trainer of about my age attacked the village we live in, demanding to know where my father was..." the man stopped, then put the pipe down and stood up suddenly, looking worried.

"I see..." he said, walking over to the statue at the back of the room. "Then you have reason to fear..." Zak got to his feet, clenching his fist in a puzzled state of anger.

"What do you mean?" he inquired, watching the man closely. The man was silent, then turned back to face the boy.

"I will help you..." he told him, idly watching the table in the centre of the room. "But you must help yourself as well..." he stopped, then looked to Zak. "You have Pokemon, correct?"

"Uh, yes, some."

"Good," the man walked towards the door as he spoke. "you will need them." he hesitated before continuing. "Did you see the ruins on your way here?" Zak leaned against the wall.

"You mean the burnt out building just outside? Yeah." he confirmed.

"That was one of the two towers built in Ecruteak long ago... You must go there. On the bottom floor you will find something. Something you'll need."

"Uh, isn't that trespassing?" Zak wondered out loud. The man turned to face him again.

"That will be the least of your worries!" he exclaimed. "There is an old safe inside, which belonged to your father." the man opened his fist to reveal a small grey key. Rust had eaten away at it over the years, and it seemed to be incredibly old. "Take it. Once you have found it's contents, return here, and I will tell you everything I know." Zak did as he was told, taking the item into his own hand, before admiring it curiously, then pocketing it.

Zak wasted no time in making his way to Ecruteak's burnt out ruins located just on the edge of town. He stared at the key in his hand as he went, puzzled by Mr. Lunata's strange manner and composure. If truth were to be told, Zak wanted to simply hear a logical explanation for his father's disappearance and return to his home and continue his relaxed and slow-paced lifestyle there. Maybe his father had simply had to take an extended trip with the company, or it could be possible that he had been called over to Silph headquarters in Kanto as a matter of urgency. However, Zak had a horrible gut feeling that neither of those scenarios were likely to be true. What was Mr. Lunata hiding, exactly? Eventually, Zak arrived at the entrance to the dilapidated structure.

Stepping inside the large, ravaged doors positioned at the front of the ruins, Zak made his way over large debris and boulders to get inside, eventually making his way through. It was eerily quiet, the only illumination coming from small cracks and holes in the roof, from where the structure had originally been destroyed. Examining his surroundings as best he could in such dim lighting, Zak attempted to travel further through the building, trying to find a set of stairs that could take him to the basement, without much luck.

"Dammit, I should've brought a match..." he whispered to himself, fumbling in his pockets for anything that could help him search the area more easily. Finding nothing, he decided that his best option would be to creep further in slowly, as cautiously as he could. Before he could begin though, a noise made itself apparent to his ears. Widening his eyes in a vain attempt to check where the sound was coming from he looked around, unsure what to do. It seemed to sound like footsteps and the gentle crackling of fire, but it was still unclear where the noise was coming from.

Zak stood still for a moment, waiting, calculating the potential actions he could take in his head, when the origin of the noise made itself visible. Just around the dark corner was the intense glow of fire, approaching more and more steadily. Eventually the source was revealed to be a Magmar; a short Pokemon of the fire variety, standing at just above four feet tall, this particular creature was of a humanoid shape, with burly shoulders and 'hair' which seemed to rise up into flames. It had short, bulky legs and a thick tail ending in a spark of fire which seemed to flow continuously. It turned towards the trainer and stared, before walking off in the opposite direction again.

"Uh..." Zak murmured, suddenly realising something. If he could catch that Magmar, he'd be able to explore the ruins fully and not need to worry about any kind of lighting. "Tauros, go!" he cried, throwing one of his Pokeballs towards the glowing target, causing a brief flash of light to erupt in the room before revealing a large bull, horns rising several inches from either side of it's head, snorting intimidatingly and brushing it's front right hoof on the rickety floorboards, readying itself for the upcoming battle.

Tauros - Zak's third and final Pokemon, was often used back at home to help control the shape and properties of the farmland, which meant it was often used, though not for battling. As a result of this, Tauros was probably the weakest of all of his Pokemon. It could still hold it's own in a fight, but Zak would have to wait and see how it would fare against a Pokemon from Johto.

The wild Magmar stared at it's tamed opponent, eying it watchfully, not moving at all. Zak pointed to it and called for his Tauros to begin it's attack, who loyally obeyed, whipping it's three tails madly then dashing straight for the pyrotechnic Pokemon standing before it, who narrowly rolled to the side, just managing to evade the charge.

Undaunted, Zak's Tauros charged again, this time colliding with the wall, embedding it's horns in the wood. Snorting angrily, the bull ripped itself out and turned once again to the Magmar, who had already begun to counter. Whipping it's tail around quickly the creature created a small vortex of fire which landed at the Tauros's feet, shooting into it's fur and scattering onto it's hooves. It then proceeded to jump over the bull and began to flee in the opposite direction.

"Ah, dammit!" Zak shouted, chasing after the Pokemon, his Tauros just behind. The Magmar noticed them giving chase and raised it's beak, spraying smoke around the room as it continued to run, creating a huge gaseous curtain of darkness around them all. Zak covered his eyes, squinting into the black smoke, trying to find the illumination of the Magmar's tail but the smell was simply too overpowering. He fell to his knees, struggling to keep himself conscious - the small space of the area and the fumes that had just been emitted were a powerful combination, and one he didn't want his Pokemon suffering from. Quickly he turned back to Tauros and held the Pokeball to it, making sure the central release switch was positioned directly at the animal. The centre began to glow white, emitting a small red beam and switching the image of the bull into a red silhouette which immediately returned to the palm-sized device.

Zak turned back to the source of the smoke, which was slowly beginning to disperse, when he again saw the glow of what he presumed to be the Magmar's tail.

"Haha, gotcha!" he cried, launching himself blindly towards the light and landing with a thump on the ancient floorboards at the feet of the Pokemon he was so intent on catching. He barely had time to look up when it turned to run again, but this time something stopped it. Zak looked down, the creaking of the wood below him now all too apparent. Suddenly a cracking sound was heard and the two beings watched as the floor they were on top of began to split, then toppled earthwards, sending the pair of them plummeting onto the floor of the basement.


	3. Fragments of Past

Zak wearily opened his eyes, squinting around the dimly lit room in an effort to avoid the dust that was swirling around him. The debris from the fall had created a large, gaping hole in the ceiling above, leaving the rubble on top of him.

Zak struggled to break free, then paused, as a heaving sound made itself audible from behind him. Craning his neck to see, Zak saw the Magmar he had been chasing earlier now removing the rubble from the trapped human. He watched silently as the Pokemon continued to help free him.

"...Why...?" Zak's words were cut off when the light of the Magmar's fiery body came closer, illuminating three large beast-like Pokemon statues in front of him. They seemed incredibly life-like, as if made by a master sculptor, but Zak had never seen any of these creatures before. Zak pondered the reason for why the sculptor would have left them in a forgotten old tower where no-one could see his work.

Suddenly, Zak felt a huge weight being lifted from his back. He climbed to his feet and watched the Magmar toss away the last of the dusty rubble. Miraculously, the trainer wasn't injured. He looked at his body up and down, making sure that everything was okay. There was barely a scratch on him, though his shirt and jeans didn't make this seem quite so obvious. He looked back down to the Pokemon who had rescued him, which was now staring up at the human, watching him with fascination.

"Uh..." Zak murmured. "Thanks..."

He wasn't quite sure why the Pokemon had rescued him, but he made sure that it could at least understand that he was grateful for it. Turning around, Zak moved over to the three statues that had interested him earlier.

The detail was incredible - the creator seemed to have captured every last strand of fur on it's subjects. It was as if they were about to break free of their shells and escape the confinement of this tower. Suddenly, one of the models caught his eye. He rushed over to it and examined it closer, checking if what he thought was right.

The statue was of a large, powerful looking beast Pokemon, with strong limbs which ended in taloned paws and sharp, vicious fangs; it's face was so unusual and intimidating it was almost as if the creature was wearing a mask. The beast's whiskers resembled a large ninja star of glittering silver, and it's white mane stretched out from it's underbelly, up around it's neck and billowed off across it's back as if it were made of clouds. The sculpture towered over Zak at just over six feet tall.

"Yes, this must be it!" Zak exclaimed to himself, forgetting the fact that he now had an audience: the Magmar had followed him to the pedestal where the statues were set and seemed equally fascinated by them. "This is Raikou..."

The Magmar looked up at the trainer with curiosity in it's eyes. Zak smiled at the creature and knelt down to it's height.

"Raikou is a legendary Pokemon in my village." he explained, before rising again and circling the statues. "It is said that Raikou used to watch over the island in ancient times. I never actually thought it existed. Either this sculptor owned one, or he had a really vivid imagination."

The Magmar nodded it's understanding and stared up at the statue, occasionally prodding it with it's finger. Zak was continuing to circle the works of art with interest when he suddenly noticed something set in the back of the wall, just below and to the right of the pedestal where they stood. He rushed over to what looked to be a tiny metal door, brushing the dust away before sitting back and examining closer what he had just found. The Pokemon followed suit, sitting down beside him and staring at the discovery.

Zak fumbled in the pocket of his jeans and pulled out the old key his father's friend Mr. Lunata had given to him. Pushing it gently into the keyhole of what he presumed to be the safe he was looking for, he turned it slowly until a loud 'click' was heard and the door swung open. Both of them looked inside, wondering what awaited them.

It was a single, dark blue Pokeball, red streaks along the top, sitting neatly atop a wooden shrine. Zak stared at the object for a moment before reaching inside and removing it from the safe. It appeared to be a normal Great ball, a more advanced variation on the original Pokeball, but Zak wagered that the content was the most valuable part of this treasure.

Zak rose to his feet, his eyes fixed on the ball in his hand, then clipped it onto his belt with the rest of his Pokemon before heading towards the small staircase in the corner of the room. He turned, suddenly realising that footsteps were following him. He stared down at the Magmar, who seemed eager to follow him.

"I..." Zak muttered, watching the Pokemon. "...Do you want to... Come with me?"

The creature nodded, walking closer to the trainer until they were just a few feet apart.

"Well..." Zak continued, taking an empty Pokeball from his belt. "If you're sure... But this might not be easy. Now's your chance to back out."

The Magmar grinned and shook it's head. Zak lowered the Pokeball in his hand, then dropped it to the floor. The Pokemon picked it up and looked at it for a moment.

"In that case, you'll need a name!" Zak laughed. "What do you want to be called?"

The creature looked around the room, then raised it's hand and blew against the fire of it's body, causing several small flames to shoot up into the air and become one, easily illuminating the dank old basement. The Pokemon held this pose for a few seconds before the flames dispersed.

"Uh..." Zak hesitated, trying to guess the name. "Lan-no, that's not it... Torch? It's Torch, right?"

The Pokemon nodded it's approval.

"Alright Torch!" Zak replied, smiling. "Welcome to the team!"

* * *

The sun had set by the time Zak had exited the tower, causing the sky to be splashed with a deep, orange colour. The trainer made his way to the house of his father's old friend, admiring the Pokeball he had acquired on his way. He didn't know quite what lay inside, and was extremely excited to find out, but felt it best to take it back to Mr. Lunata first.

He arrived at the house and knocked several times to make his presence known. He was forced to wait for a minute or so until the door was cautiously opened in a similar fashion to the last time he had visited. The man hurried Zak inside to discuss his findings.

"So," Mr. Lunata said, sitting down in one of the two chairs on offer and sipping some coffee. "how did you fare?" Zak placed the Great ball on the table.

"I found this..." he explained. "In an old safe on the basement floor... What is it?"

"Open it and you shall see." the man replied, watching Zak take the ball in his hand again and pointing it to a small, empty space of the room.

A flash of light appeared to reveal the form of a humanoid Pokemon, just under five feet in height. It's head bore two horns at either side, and it's hands were huge claws with an eye pattern on either side, making them both look like angry, scowling faces. At the back of it's body were four wings: two larger ones rising and two smaller ones lowering. It's skin seemed to be more easily classified as armour and it's limbs looked exceptionally powerful.

"A... Scizor?" Zak asked in disbelief. The Pokemon turned it's head and eyed the trainer menacingly.

"That's right." the man confirmed. "That Scizor... That was your father's most prized Pokemon. Return it to the ball, boy."

Zak obeyed, pointing the sphere towards the creature and coating it's dark blue skin in a bright, white light before warping back inside it's ball. Zak watched the ball closely before speaking up once more.

"So..." he began. "What does this mean?"

"I don't know, boy." the man announced, rising from his chair and walking over to the small, decorative shrine at the back of his room. "And I don't know where your father is either."

"What?" Zak answered in a confused tone. The man remained silent as he unlocked the cabinet below the shrine. "But I thought..."

"I was testing you boy." the man interrupted. "And you passed. Geol came to me seven months ago to give me that ball. And..."

He took a long, thin sword from the opened cabinet and held it in his hands.

"...This." he finished. Zak stared at the sword, puzzled. "It's a samurai blade. Your father entrusted me with these two things, telling me to keep them both safe until he returned. But I fear..."

"...What?" Zak asked softly, afraid of what the answer may be. The man sighed.

"...That your father will not return." Zak's eyes widened. "Someone is after him boy, and I don't think it's just that young man who razed your village to the ground." Zak didn't answer. Instead he just stared at the wooden floorboards below his feet in silence. "You've come this far boy, and you can't back down now! You must discover what happened to your father, before they do!"

"They?" Zak repeated, not completely absorbing what he was being told. "But how? How can I?"

"You have already proven that you have the determination!" the man explained. "Now you must see this journey through to the end. Sitting here doing nothing won't help you! You must travel through Johto and find your father. Take this. You'll need it."

The man offered Zak the sword in his arms, who hesitantly took it. He unsheathed the weapon in order to examine the weapon further. The blade was almost a pale blue, and despite the obvious aging shown by the bronzed handle, it was in excellent condition.

"It was your father's." the man continued. "Always use it in defence - never for combat. That is the true sign of the Watchers of Raikou."

"Watchers... Of Raikou?" Zak repeated, his voice somewhat shaky. This information was all so strange to suddenly take in.

"An ancient organisation that predates even that burnt out tower you just explored." Lunata explained, sitting himself back down into the left armchair beside the shrine. "Their members have gone from generation to generation, taking sworn oaths of secrecy and service in the name of protecting all legendary Pokemon from any foolish enough to try to catch or harm them. It was an organisation that both your father and I were a part of."

"Were?" Zak questioned, his eyes moving away from the sword and back to Mr. Lunata who sat there, sucking away at his pipe.

"Indeed..." the old man sighed, leaning back in the chair and staring up at the ceiling as he spoke. "The Watchers were disbanded one year ago."

"How come?" Zak pressed, wanting to get to the bottom of this.

"Because nobody survived their last meeting." Lunata replied coldly. Zak stared at him for a moment, not entirely sure how to take this information. "Fortunately," Lunata continued. "neither I nor your father attended the meeting on that day. I decided to quit the Watchers and have heard nothing since. I'm too old for conspiracies. But your father..."

Zak watched Mr. Lunata intently as he spoke. The man sighed and continued his story, his normally stern appearance faltering somewhat.

"He refused to let sleeping dogs lie. He gave me that key and his sword and entrusted me to protect them until he returned..." Mr. Lunata paused. "And then he left, vowing to find out who was responsible." The man chuckled. "Revenge is a dish best left alone, I say."

Zak's eyes trailed from the sword, to his father's friend, and back again. He returned it to it's sheath and swung the attached belt around his back.

"I know I can't stop you from leaving, so take my advice, boy. You can't make this quest alone." Mr. Lunata said, getting to his feet. "The only ones you can trust are your Pokemon. Catch and raise as many as you need. Trust me when I say that they will make your journey a whole lot easier."

"What do I do now, sir?"

"I know of another Watcher who lives in Azalea Town, to the far south of here." Mr. Lunata gave his answer. "Maybe he knows where exactly your father went."

Zak nodded, then slowly turned to the door.

"Thank you." he said before bowing and reaching for the handle.

"And one more thing..." the man added before his guest left. "There's a Pokemon Gym in every major town. Use them effectively - the experience will be invaluable." Zak nodded before exiting the room and heading back out onto the streets of Ecruteak - the first step on his upcoming journey.


	4. The Journey Begins! Pokémon Trainer: Zak

The sky had by now turned into a deep, navy blue. The stars were out in abundance, displaying the different constellations visible in the Johto region. Zak would often see the stars back in his homeland when he would stare outside his bedroom window late at night, wondering what lay beyond the island he called home.

Zak leaned against the wall of a nearby house as he pondered what to do next. A Gym... A Pokemon Gym. He recalled walking past one in Olivine earlier this morning. They were supposed to house incredibly strong trainers who had endured many hardships in order to progress to the level they were at now. More often than not, a Gym would often follow a distinct type of Pokemon, such as grass or fire. Zak looked down to his belt and unclipped one of the Pokeballs from it, staring at it as it lay idly in his hand.

He had never intended on capturing Pokemon in order to battle with, though Nidoqueen was certainly up to the challenge. As a result he had never even thought of a strategy when collecting his original three Pokemon. Now the ranks had been bolstered to five: Magmar, a Fire-type, and Scizor, a Steel-type. That meant that in all he had one ground, one flying and one normal Pokemon, not including the two new additions to his team. Five Pokemon was a pretty solid number to battle with, but would it be enough to defeat a Gym leader?

Zak's thoughts were interrupted by the sudden opening of two huge, iron double doors that belonged to a large building just across the street a few yards away. Zak replaced his Pokeball and continued to watch from afar.

"And stay out, fool!" an angry teenager barked at the boy who had been pushed outside of the building. "Morty has no need for losers like you!"

The teenager walked back inside and slammed the doors shut behind him, leaving what Zak assumed to be a defeated trainer outside. The boy picked himself up off the ground and headed towards a smaller building across the road, seemingly angry at what had just happened. As he left Zak noticed the sign on the building he had just been forced out of, which read: 'Ecruteak City Gym'. Zak approached the Gym, eager to discover more about it.

The outside of the Gym itself was old and worn, like that of the other houses and buildings surrounding it, but it seemed to tower over the rest of the structures. The architecture seemed very old, unlike the more modern and up-to-date Gym in Olivine, which although visually more impressive, seemed to be a lot smaller than this. Zak examined the sign fitted onto the outside wall closer.

"Leader: Morty, huh?" he read to himself out loud. He turned to see the building that the boy had headed off to. Upon closer inspection it became obvious that this wasn't a house, nor was it a hotel. In fact, Zak couldn't quite figure out what it was until he read the sign etched into the wall which read: 'Heal your Pokemon! - Pokemon Centre'.

He looked up and admired the building from the front. It was certainly the most modern building in Ecruteak, boasting a striking white finish on the outside and two floors. The door even had a small, rounded arch over the top, fashioned with a large Pokeball design in the centre.

"A Pokemon... Centre?" Zak asked himself, slightly puzzled at the thought of what went on inside. Perhaps practice battles, or maybe even a Pokemon fan club? The only way to find out was to go inside...

Upon entering, Zak discovered a large, white hall to greet him, full of Pokemon trainers, young and old. To his left was a staircase to the second floor, and to his far right were dozens of bunk beds, all lined up opposite each other. In front of him stood a white counter with a red stripe going underneath the shelf and a large design of a Pokeball in the centre.

Zak looked around the hall, awestruck by what he saw. He had never seen so many trainers in one place before. People were sitting on the beds showing each other their prized Pokemon, playing the Pokemon Trading Card Game, and one was even using one of the computers beside the counter.

Zak walked further inside, still not fully aware of what this place was. It seemed like a lodge for Pokemon trainers more than anything else. He headed towards the counter, where he thought he would get some answers.

"Uh..." he murmured, making his way past a small crowd of teenage boys. "Excuse me, I..."

Zak seemed to lose his voice when he saw the woman standing opposite him, behind the counter. He stared at her for a moment, trying to figure out what to say. She was very pretty, some might even go as far as to say that she was beautiful. She had long, pink hair tied back into two large rings and tucked underneath her white nurse's hat and a slim figure which her white uniform seemed to compliment perfectly. She looked back at him and smiled warmly. Zak finally managed to bring himself out of her spell and talk sense once more, at least in slightly quicker breaths.

"Good evening sir." she greeted him. "You're out late. What can I do for you today?"

"Um..." Zak stammered, trying not to succumb to her magic again. "I... I was really just wondering what this place was..."

"What!?" a scruffy sounding voice cried out from his left. "You don't even know what a Pokemon Centre is!?"

Zak turned to see the origin of this interruption. A short boy, looking around the age of fourteen, scowled at him. He wore navy blue shorts and a t-shirt of a slightly paler shade, and his long, untamed hair was barely covered by a dirty-looking white baseball cap.

"Uh..." Zak began again. "Is that a... Bad thing?"

The nurse behind the counter giggled slightly at this.

"Oh it's quite simple really, sir." she explained as Zak turned back to face her. "A Pokemon Centre is where you can heal your team, rest up for the night and lots more. There's one in every major town - I'm surprised you haven't heard of them before."

"He's probably just stupid!" the boy next to him chimed in, leaning against the counter and frowning at Zak.

"Hey!" the nurse cried. "If you can't be nice to a guest then you'll be barred from this place. Permanently!"

"Ah, c'mon nurse Joy." the boy replied, turning to her and grinning. "How about you and me just ditch these morons and catch us a movie or something?"

Zak clenched his fist as the anger began to rise inside of him. The three taller boys behind the short trainer sniggered before gawking once again at the girl.

"Alright, that's it, get out!" nurse Joy growled, pointing towards the exit. The boy looked shocked.

"What!?" he cried. "But I-!"

"No buts mister! Out!!"

The trainer growled then pushed his fist towards Zak.

"We'll settle this outside!" he threatened before exiting the Pokemon Centre, followed by his three companions. Zak turned back to the nurse.

"Sorry about that." she apologized.

"Oh, it's nothing." Zak answered, laughing nervously.

"You're not from around here are you?" she asked, leaning against the counter towards him.

"Ah, no..." Zak began. "I'm from Salifane; an island west of Johto. It's my first time away from home."

"Oh, wow!" the girl exclaimed. "A foreigner! We don't get too many visitors to Ecruteak since the tower burnt down."

"Oh..." Zak murmured, before speaking up again. "I'm Zak."

"Nice to meet you Zak." she replied before making a curtsey. "I'm Joy."

"Joy..." Zak thought aloud. "Cute name..."

"Why thank you!" she said in response, smiling. Zak blushed, suddenly realising that he had recited his thoughts unintentionally.

"Uh... Who was that guy?" Zak stammered, quickly trying to regain his composure.

"Oh, just some trainer who was kicked out of the Ecruteak Gym a few months ago." Joy explained. "He's been hanging around here ever since."

"Hey!!" the boy had reemerged from outside, waving a Pokeball in his hand at Zak. "Come on, or are you a coward!?" Zak watched in silence, slightly bemused by the trainer's actions.

"Just ignore him, Zak." nurse Joy advised. Zak walked away from the counter and began to take the dark blue ball from the back of his belt.

"No, I'll be fine." he said, smiling as he walked towards the door where his challenger was waiting impatiently. "Really."

Once he was outside, both trainers stood opposite one another, staring each other down.

"We'll each use one Pokemon!" the boy declared before throwing a Pokeball down in front of his opponent. "Raticate, I choose you!" he cried as the flash of light from the Pokeball revealed the form of a large rodent Pokemon that stared angrily at the human in front of him.

"In that case..." Zak announced, smiling. "I'll use my Scizor!"

He threw down the dark blue ball in his hands to reveal a humanoid image of light which slowly dimmed into the dark navy form of his father's Steel-type Pokemon.

"Hyper Fang, Raticate!!" the boy screeched his command, causing the Raticate to dash straight towards the metal mantis and clamp it's teeth over Scizor's right arm.

Scizor blinked at the creature, before kneeing it in the stomach and then roundhouse kicking it into the wall of a nearby house, causing a slight crater. The crowd that had gathered outside stared in awe at the display as the Raticate fainted in a mere two blows.

"Ugh...!" the boy whimpered, staring at his unconscious Pokemon lying on the ground. "How'd he!? Raticate, return!" he called out as he pointed the Pokeball at his monster, creating a dim red light and absorbing the combatant inside the sphere. "Y... You were just lucky!" he growled.

"I win." Zak proclaimed, returning his warrior into the Great ball grasped in his hand. "Now you can leave nurse Joy alone."

The boy stared as Zak turned his back and walked towards the Pokemon Centre, leaving the defeated trainer alone outside.

* * *

Zaklooked up to the ceiling whilst lying in bed.Today's experience had proven invaluable if he was going to succeed in findingjust who, or what, was after his father.

He still didn't quite believe that this was happening, and that he had begunhis very ownPokemonquest. His quest was differentfrom others in the way that he wasn't aiming to become the greatestPokemontrainer, but in the way that he wanted to find outjust exactlywhat had happened to his father, and exactlywhy the person who had attacked his village,Knite,was after him.

Zakclosed his eyes and smiled. Tomorrow he wouldhead for the Gym to faceMorty, a leader whoapparently used Ghost-typePokemon.Zakhad been surprised whennurseJoy had told him this whilst he was waiting for hisPokemonto be healed. He had always thought that ghostPokemonwere a mythical type of creature, only appearing in legends of old, and he hadnever read any books about them to prove their existence. As a result,Zakknew very little about what would await him tomorrow atthe Gym, but whatever it was, he would face it head-on with his team ofPokemon.

Though the thought of what forces stood between him and his father scared himdeeply,Zakcouldn't help but feel a little excitedat the prospect of starting his very ownPokemonjourney in this strange new land.

'The only ones he could trust.'Zakexamined thewords of his father's friend Mr.Lunatainside hisheadover and over again, still unsure of what he hadmeant by this.

He recalled the battle earlier this evening. Nurse Joy had explained to himthat she had never seen aScizoruse fightingmoveslike that before. Then again, she had added that she didn't know a whole lotabout Steel-typePokemon, only that the Gym leader inOlivine used them. His father'sScizorwas strange inthe way that it wascoloureda dark navy blue, andZakknew that traditionally aScizor'sarmourwas usually red.

Zak'sthoughts were casually washed away as he closedhis eyes and smiled. Ah, nurse Joy... Now she was someone he could get used tohaving around...

* * *

The next morning the sun had disturbedZakfrom hispeaceful sleep.That was the price you paid when you had tosleep beside the window,he guessed. He didn't quite remember his dreambut was sure it was a good one, seeing as he had slept so well.

He immediately left thePokemonCentre in order tochallenge theEcruteakGym leader after sayinggoodbye to Joy. He was highly excited about the upcoming battle, lookingforward to testing out his skills against a real professional, but it wasn'tuntil he pushed the large iron entrance aside and entered the Gym that hisnerves began to show themselves.

The inside of the Gym was dark and foreboding, and the old architecture evenmore obvious than it was from outside. The floorboards were creaky and the onlylighting was made by four lit torches - two at the front of the Gym, and two atthe back.Zakslowly crept his way through the dankhalls, being reminded heavily of the old, burnt out tower from yesterday.

Zakeventually reached the back of the building wherea huge, stone pedestal stood, built firmly into the ground of the Gym.Zakmade his way up the small set of steps before stoppingwhen he reached the top of the stand.

"What is it you want from here?"a voice called out from the shadowsin front of him.Zakhesitated beforeanswering.

"I'm here to challenge the Gym leader,Morty!"he called back into the darkness. There was a long silence, whichZakdared not break.

"...Very well."the voice announced.

Suddenly a ring of torches around the pedestal were lit to illuminate theground and reveal a stadium marked out belowZak'sfeet.Zakstepped back slightly, surprised by what hesaw. After examining thestadiumhe looked up to see afigure sitting down on the opposite side of the pedestal.

The figure before him got toit'sfeet and turned toface the challenger, the torches now illuminating his face. He raised aPokeballtowardsZakandsmiled.

"I amMorty, and I am the leader of thisPokemonGym."he announced."Let's battle."


	5. First Gym Battle! Zak vs Morty

"We may each use up to six Pokemon." Morty began, still pointing the Pokeball in his hand at Zak. "Not that I'll need that many, of course..." he chuckled before continuing.

Despite his raggedy clothes which looked to be covered in dust, he was quite an impressive sight to behold. He had a generous physique and enchanting demeanor; his golden-brown eyes showing off an intense stare. He wore a pale blue v-neck shirt with yellow trims on the bottom and sleeves, and loose-fitting, dark navy jogging trousers. His spiky dark-blonde hair was held in place by a pastel blue bandana which matched the primary colour of his shirt.

"Anyway, we're following field battle rules, which means anything goes. Any questions?"

Zak shook his head, his right hand lowering slowly towards the belt he wore, ready to select his first Pokemon for battle.

"Then let battle... Commence!" Morty shouted, throwing down the Pokeball in his hand and unleashing a blast of white light into the centre of the arena that slowly faded to reveal a thin, almost gaseous Pokemon levitating in front of the challenger. It appeared simply as a dark purple ball of vapour with two large, piercing eyes and a toothy grin. Zak stepped back in awe.

"So they ARE real!?" he murmured to himself in surprise.

"Shocked, hm?" Morty called past his ghost Pokemon. "You're in for a real treat, trust me..."

Zak brought himself back to reality, staring back at the Gym leader and taking the dark blue ball that was hooked to his side. He tapped the button in the centre, enlarging the sphere to fit snugly into his palm before throwing it towards the ghost and unleashing his own monster into the ring. Now it was Morty's turn to cower.

"...What?" he gasped, his wide eyes surveying the Scizor that Zak had just released into the ring. "That power I'm sensing...! Unbelievable!"

Zak smiled, playing with the now empty Great ball, tossing it to each of his hands.

"Now..." Zak said, his voice full of confidence. "Let's play!" he pointed towards the rival Pokemon, ready to lead his own creature into battle. "Go; Tackle attack, Scizor!"

The metal Pokemon turned it's head slowly, eyeing his trainer suspiciously before turning back to face it's opponent. It hesitated, then crouched and dashed head first towards the enemy, it's speed and agility a marvel to behold, but at the moment of impact, Scizor merely passed through the enemy.

Scizor quickly turned, watching the ghost in question, seemingly intrigued by what had just happened. Morty immediately burst out laughing.

"That's pathetic!" he taunted, looking as though he was trying to now suppress his laughter. "You didn't even know that Normal attacks will just go right through Ghost Pokemon? And you call yourself a trainer!?"

Zak growled, clenching his right fist and tightening his grip on the Great ball in his other hand.

"Dammit..." he whispered to himself. "Why didn't I research this first!?"

Morty managed to regain his composure before issuing his first attack of the battle.

"Now Gastly, use your Curse attack!"

The ghost obeyed, closing it's eyes tightly and concentrating on an unknown object in it's mind. It opened it's eyes suddenly, drifting towards the floor weakly before picking itself back up again, as if it had just been struck by some invisible, psychic attack.

"Wh... What was that?" Zak asked himself, blinking, before turning around and issuing his next order. "Okay Scizor..." he began. "Uh... Just..."

'Oh, dammit!' he thought to himself. 'I don't know any of Scizor's normal attacks, let alone any special ones to fight a ghost with!' he looked up, noticing that his Pokemon was now acting strangely, clutching it's throat.

"...Scizor?" he mumbled. "You okay?"

The metal Pokemon glared at it's master before lunging knee first towards Gastly, again only to find the attack going straight through the Pokemon. Scizor fell to the floor, struggling to get up, the pain inside it's steel body forcing it to writhe on the floor in agony.

"Alright, that's enough!" Zak announced, pointing the Great ball towards the creature. "Scizor, return!" a small beam of red light absorbed the Scizor into itself before retreating back into the centre of the ball.

"Looks like you'd better just give up right here." Morty chuckled.

"Not so fast." Zak replied, taking a second ball from the belt around his waist and throwing it to the ground. "Pick, let's go!"

"Ugh..." Morty sighed. "What kind of a name is that?"

It seemed as if Zak didn't hear the leader, instead concentrating on the newly released bird Pokemon flapping it's wings proudly before the Gastly.

"And just what exactly is that Fearow going to do to my Ghost Pokemon?" Morty asked sarcastically.

"You'll see..." Zak replied, confidence returning to his voice. "Pick! Use a Gust attack!"

The bird complied, kicking up a ferocious wind and blasting the dusty contents of the stadium floor straight towards the Gastly, causing it to be pushed back by the sheer force of the blast.

The ghost responded by charging straight towards the Fearow, outstretching it's tongue towards the target. Immediately Pick dodged the attack, flying around behind it's enemy and kicking up another gust, causing the Gastly to fall to the floor.

"Gastly, return!" Morty growled, retreating the fainted Pokemon back to the ball from whence it came. "Your Fearow is well trained, I'll give you that." the leader confessed. "But my next Pokemon will leave you trembling before it's might!"

Without hesitation, Morty threw another Pokeball down to the floor of the small stadium, revealing another levitating ghost Pokemon, though this one seemed different somehow. It's colour was that of a deep purple, and it's eyes were much more narrow. Instead of just a cloud, it was much more solid in appearance and two arms protruded from the sides, giving it a much more humanoid form.

"Haunter, Lick attack!" Morty ordered, pointing towards the Fearow which towered high above the stadium.

The ghost obeyed, charging through the air towards the bird Pokemon. Pick waited for the Haunter to get closer, then dived straight past it back towards the grounds of the stadium. The bird pulled up moments before impact and swiftly turned to face it's pursuer, which had begun to follow suit, diving straight towards it.

"Now Pick, use Whirlwind!" Zak called. Pick flapped it's wings, generating great momentum which it then unleashed straight at the Haunter, who was still diving straight at the bird. The force of the wind collided head-on with the spectre, pushing it back to the far end of the Gym.

"Dammit!!" Morty shouted in frustration, recalling his second ghost back into the Pokeball. "Haunter, go!" he threw down a third Pokeball, revealing a second Haunter inside. This one seemed a lot stronger, slightly larger, with a more menacing appearance than the first. "Use a Curse!"

The ghost tightly shut it's eyes, focusing on something in it's mind. It opened them again, seeming quite fatigued by the whole process, then glided back to where it once hovered, facing it's newly handicapped opponent.

Pick seemed to be much more exhausted now, it's wings flapped only on occasion to keep itself barely above the ground. Zak had already noticed the abnormality, realising now what had caused Scizor to act so strangely.

"Pick, try a Gust attack!" Zak called, watching the bird slowly kick up a wind as powerful as it possibly could. The wind collided with the Haunter, kicking it back towards the place where Morty stood. Pick hovered weakly over the spot it had attacked from, faltering slightly before picking itself back up and waiting for it's next order.

"Haunter, Lick attack!" Morty ordered, watching as his monster charged headfirst towards the waiting Fearow. The ghost roughly struck it's opponent with it's tongue, causing a sharp pain to jolt through Pick's body.

The Fearow hurriedly pulled away from it's attacker before unleashing another gust attack, blasting a strong wind straight into the ghost. The Haunter flinched somewhat, then shrugged off the barrage, grinning. Pick crashed into the ground opposite, exhaustion consuming the Flying-type. Zak withdrew his fainted Pokemon.

"Now it's your turn, Torch." Zak whispered, taking his next Pokeball and releasing the creature within. The Magmar jumped out of the newly revealed light, eager to serve it's new master.

"Haunter, Night Shade." Morty said cooly.

Both Zak and Torch turned to face the Haunter at the opposite end of the stadium. The ghost charged straight towards the Fire Pokemon, floating through it before turning and closing it's eyes, it's hands outlining the invisible object it was studying in it's mind. The Magmar fell backwards into the dusty sand of the stadium beneath it, scrambling back to it's feet as the pain of the spectral attack began to fade.

Torch hesitated, then launched itself towards the ghost, closing in on the target to unleash it's first attack. The Magmar opened it's mouth, spitting a long stream of fire out that went through the spectre, the heat and flames surrounding the opponent who barely managed to escape. Zak smiled, watching the exhausted Haunter that was now waiting for it's next order.

Morty growled, clenching his left fist. "Use Curse!!" he cried. "Do it now!"

The ghost looked back at it's trainer, then hesitantly obeyed. Power began to fill the creature slowly, it's eyes closed in order to focus on what lay in it's mind. Torch let out a slight gasp as it felt the curse seep inside of it, signaling the fall of it's attacker. The Haunter opened it's eyes weakly, then fell onto the floor, signaling Morty to retreat it.

"A noble sacrifice." the Gym leader said calmly, clipping the defeated Haunter's Pokeball back onto his belt and then taking the fourth and final ball into his hand. "And now, the real fun begins!"

Zak eyed Morty nervously. Hopefully the leader was bluffing; after Torch was gone he only had Nidoqueen in reserve since Tauros knew no special moves which could harm a Ghost-type Pokemon.

"What are you waiting for?" Zak called over to his opponent. Morty growled.

"Nothing!" he returned, throwing the sphere down on to the ground. "Gengar, I choose you!"

The ball split open and engulfed the small stadium in light, illuminating the shadows of the old Gym building, slowly fading to allow both trainers to view the large, ghostly Pokemon standing before them.

Gengar was quite tall for a Pokemon, standing at just over five feet. It's colour was, like Haunter's, again a dark purple, but it's eyes, though just as narrow and menacing, were a deep, blood red. They seemed to glow, spying on Zak's very thoughts as he wondered how to strike first.

Unlike all three of Morty's previous Pokemon, Gengar's shape was fully formed - with two legs and two arms, giving it an unnerving human-like quality. It grinned towards Zak, who swallowed nervously but stood his ground.

"Torch, try another Flamethrower!" he ordered, pointing directly at the target.

The Magmar nodded, crouching down as it began to spew out flames which would bend and contort, wrapping around the spectre. Torch continued this attack for around half a minute, completely veiling the enemy in flames without resistance.

"Ha!" Zak laughed triumphantly. "So much for that."

Morty smirked, gently throwing Gengar's empty Pokeball in and out of his hand.

"Gengar," he said cooly. "use Night Shade."

From amid the flames the Gengar leapt towards it's attacker, grabbing it by the throat and pinning it down to the ground. It grinned maniacally, the expression on it's face making Zak feel dizzy, as if it were laughing through telepathy, since it made no sound. It's deep, red eyes began to glow, the black pupils fading as eery, red light warped around the Magmar.

Suddenly Gengar jumped off the creature, landing on it's feet and watching as the Magmar seemed to be kicked from the ground itself and up into the air.

"Torch!" Zak shouted out, watching the weak Pokemon fall back onto the dusty stadium floor with a thud. Dust swirled and surrounded the injured Pokemon, who slowly got to it's feet, not wanting to disappoint it's new master.

"That's enough! Return!" Zak pointed a Pokeball at the reluctant creature, enveloping it in light and recalling it inside.

"Why don't you just admit defeat?" Morty taunted, leaning calmly against the wall rest behind him.

"Because I still have one trump card up my sleeve..." Zak answered, taking what he hoped would be his last Pokeball for use in this fight from his belt and holding it in front of him. "Go, Nidoqueen!"

The sphere shot out a stream of white light, painting out the form of his Nidoqueen, whose icy blue colours became evident as soon as the brightness from the ball began to fade.

Nidoqueen glared at the Gengar in front of her, watching it closely, as if it knew what had been happening during the entire battle.

"Ice Beam!" Zak cried, prompting the Pokemon to step back slightly and spew forth a bright beam of pale blue light, which froze on impact with the spectre, encasing it in a block of ice.

Zak smiled, watching the frozen Gengar in satisfaction, then allowed the smile to fade as the ghost burst out of it's chilly confines, ready to go another round. Morty chuckled slightly before giving his next order.

"Use your Shadow Ball." he instructed.

Gengar's enormous grin seemed to grow as it raised it's left hand into the air. Slowly at first, an unusual black substance began to creep from all four corners of the Gym building into the ghostly palm, forming a small, spherical object in the centre.

Watching Gengar fight it seemed obvious to Zak that it had evolved from Haunter, since they both bore striking similarities - the most unnerving for Zak being those deep, blood red eyes and insane grin - no matter what Gengar was doing it seemed to be watching both the trainer and his Pokemon with those haunting, ethereal eyes. It was watching and, most disturbingly, waiting.

The substance had now finished flowing into Gengar's hand and had formed a ball which appeared to be made of a bizarre liquid, since it seemed to ripple and twist every time it was moved. Zak wasted no time in trying to avoid examining it at a closer range.

"Use another Ice Beam!" he called. Nidoqueen nodded, swiftly shooting out another stream of ice towards the target.

Hurriedly, Gengar threw the ball at Zak's Pokemon. It bounced up high, quite slowly towards the victim, then tumbled down towards the incoming ice attack. The two forces collided, drilling into one another with incredible force. Both seemed equally matched, but, ultimately, only one would emerge as the victor.

The Shadow Ball drained away the energy of Nidoqueen's attack, fueling itself on the power it had collided with just moments ago, then continued to bounce towards the opponent. It struck Nidoqueen with the momentum of a Rapidash at full speed, launching the target across the stadium towards where Zak was standing.

"Nidoqueen!" he called out, worry rocking his voice. "Are you alright?"

The Pokemon didn't respond. Instead, it slowly got to it's feet and watched as Gengar began to form a second Shadow Ball.

Without instructions, Nidoqueen dashed straight towards the ghost, who grinned before throwing the completed sphere straight towards the incoming monster.

The ball bounced up high, then plummeted towards Nidoqueen, who immediately changed course, ruining the aim of Gengar's Shadow Ball and leaving the enemy as a clear target for a third Ice Beam. The attack flew through the air and collided with the unprotected Gengar, sending it flying past Morty and out of the ring of the stadium.

Both trainers watched the ghost slowly get to it's feet in complete silence. The grin was now gone as the creature took one weary step back towards the ring. It forced itself back into the stadium slowly, it's eyes focused entirely on Nidoqueen, who stared back in defiance.

Gengar stood there for a moment before taking another step and, finally unable to resist the inevitable, fell to the floor in an exhausted heap.

No noise could be heard in the entire building. Zak watched the dust settle in disbelief whilst Morty returned Gengar to it's Pokeball. The silence wasn't broken until Morty spoke up.

"...Congratulations."


	6. She Met Him At The Candy Store

The blue metal of the blade in Zak's hands glistened in the warm sunlight as he admired the craftsmanship of it. He still couldn't quite get his head around the fact that this was his father's, or that this entire quest was even happening at all. It all seemed so far-fetched.

A new side of his father had been opened up to him, yet while this seemed like an incredible revelation, in reality he knew very little of what was really going on. The new horizon had been clouded by an uneasy fog, and the only way to discover what lay beyond was to take a deep breath and walk straight forward.

Zak took the sword carefully by the hilt and returned it to it's sheath as he continued walking. He had left Ecruteak about three days ago and had been staying in local shelters, hostels and any Pokemon Centres he could find. He checked his watch to confirm that it was around four PM, which meant he should be closing in on the city of Goldenrod fairly soon. He took a sip of water before continuing towards the shining city.

The Johto region was beautiful - an elegant mixture of man and nature working in harmony. Perfectly tiled roads and pathways swept neatly beside neatly cut grassy plains and numerous trees scattered the area, watching passers by.

This route had been much busier than the road he had taken that connected Ecruteak with Olivine. He would often pass several trainers battling one another, couples going for walks in the warm afternoon sunshine and groups of young teenagers enjoying a day out. Sightings of human beings seemed to be appearing more often now - another indication of his close proximity to the bustling metropolis of Goldenrod.

He had heard a lot about Goldenrod. His father would often go on business trips there, or at least, so he had claimed. Zak sighed, wondering whether his father really had visited all these places. Even if he had, Zak now doubted that he was going there purely for 'business' reasons.

He could hear something. Something up ahead. Shouting, it seemed. Someone was shouting. Not an angry shout, instead the voice seemed to be issuing instructions. Zak approached the noise to witness a Pokemon battle taking place just by the side of the road, amid a small clearing inbetween the many trees that had been lining the roads.

"Alright, Pidgey!" a young boy called up to the bird which was circling the sky. "I know you can do it! I'm counting on you, y'know!"

The bird seemed to be hooting back it's understanding, flapping it's tiny wings to keep itself above the battlefield.

"Okay, now use Quick Attack!!" the boy called, pointing a finger towards a small, dark brown Pokemon that was watching from below. It seemed humanoid in appearance, possessing small, silvery-white feathers it seemed to wear as a tail and tiny, piercing black eyes. Had Zak known more, he would have realised that it was a dark-type Pokemon known as Sneasel.

The opposing trainer was silent, his or her head down low, watching the battle through the corner of their eye.

The Pidgey charged through the air directly at the enemy, intent on striking at it's foe. The opponent sidestepped the attack with ease, grabbing onto the bird and flinging it straight at it's trainer. It seemed to wear a grim smile as it did so.

"I win." the hooded trainer declared, his voice indicating no sign of triumph as the bird tumbled to the ground.

"No way!" the boy cried, returning his Pidgey to it's Pokeball. "But I couldn't even hit your Pokemon..."

"Enough." the winner announced, extending his hand from the dark robe that concealed his appearance in shadows and mystery. "Your Eevee. Give it to me."

"What!?" the boy shouted, obviously stunned by this demand. "No way! We never said anything about my Eevee!"

As he spoke, the small fox-like Pokemon at his feet cowered before the opposing trainer. Zak noted it had a glossy, pale-beige coat of fur - an unusual colour for an Eevee.

"You lost." the cloaked fighter evaluated his opponent's performance. "You must pay the price. You aren't worthy to own such a valuable Pokemon."

"You're crazy!" the boy replied, picking up the shivering Eevee that remained by his side. "There's no way I'm gonna let you have Eevee!"

"Fine." his rival said, a hint of anger rising in his voice. "Then you leave me no choice..."

The trainer began to reach into the waist of his robe, before Zak stepped forwards.

"What's going on here?" he asked, watching the caped trainer suspiciously.

"...You...!" the hooded figure whispered to himself.

"...Huh?" Zak murmered, not quite catching the trainer's voice.

The figure removed his hand from the depths of his cloak and turned away with an air of confidence.

"Hmph." he hissed, spitting on the ground as he began to walk away into the dark confines of the trees surrounding the pathway. "I don't need it anyway. It's a pathetic creature."

Zak watched as the figure retreated into the shadows before turning to the defeated trainer beside him, who was clutching the small Pokemon in his arms.

"Are you okay?" he asked. "Who was that?"

"I dunno..." the boy sighed, still holding the Eevee close to him. "I just thought he was some trainer, but his Pokemon were so strong!"

"Well, anyway..." Zak began. "It looks like he's gone now, so I doubt he'll bother you again."

"But you don't understand!" the boy exclaimed, getting to his feet. "His Pokemon were REALLY strong! Like, stronger-than-a-Gym-leader's strong!"

Zak looked back among the trees where the figure had escaped, watching the shadows carefully.

"Stronger than a Gym leader...?" he mumbled to himself.

"Anyway, thanks for helping me out there." the boy said, looking up to Zak who had now gotten to his feet. "I think I'll be okay on my own now."

"Sure." Zak replied, turning back to the direction he had been travelling originally and continuing on his trek.

* * *

It took at least another hour to get to the gates of Goldenrod city. The sun had begun to set beyond the horizon, slowly turning the sky from a brilliant blue into a warm, inviting orange. The few clouds that did occupy the open ceiling were now bathed in the vibrant colours of nature.

Even from here the city looked beautiful - tall buildings rose into the sky, creating wonderful variety among the usual piercing forests and distant mountains.

Zak stood there in awe for several minutes, just watching the light clouds drift past the highest stories of several skyscrapers that were scattered around the city. Zak took a deep breath before stepping through the gates and into the golden city, drenched in rich sun, knowing that each step he took could change his life forever...

* * *

"Hmm..." the girl murmured as she examined the small artifact in her hand. "But will it really work?"

"Why not try it?" a second girl asked, standing behind and peering over her shoulder at the small bottle in her friend's hesitant grip. "It's not that expensive..."

The first girl sighed, nodding slowly and handing over several notes of money in payment for the object. The shopkeeper nodded, thanking her as she and her friend made their way towards the elevator.

Evidently the two of them were both Pokemon trainers, the first carrying a shopping bag full of Pokemon potions, ointments and status boosters. She ran her fingers through her soft, pink hair, styled in two large pigtails that lowered down just past her shoulders. She pressed the elevator call button and the two of them waited patiently for their transportation to arrive.

The second girl leaned with her back against the wall, peering into her own shopping bag - she hadn't purchased as much as her friend. She could hear the sound of the elevator swiftly rising through each storey if she pressed her ears closer to the wall.

She brushed a loose piece of dark green hair that fell over her eye back behind her ear when the elevator signaled it's arrival with a soft ring. The grey, metallic doors slid open, revealing the inside room to be empty but spacious.

The first girl made her way inside, waiting for her companion to follow before tapping the appropriate level key on the side of the wall. The lift paused before sliding it's doors shut and beginning it's descent towards the ground level, leaving the two females on their own in the transport.

The elevator was extremely fast - they could both feel their stomachs lift slightly as it picked up the pace towards the entry floor of the multi-story department store. The lift began to slow, before coming to a complete stop and allowing their stomachs to rest.

A light flickered on above the door, illuminating the small white letters "1F" as the elevator beeped and the doors slid open. The surreal calm of the elevator was swiftly broken by crowds of shoppers making their way through the different shops and stands, marvelling at the sheer volume of goods they could buy. Many seemed to be tourists, as was usually the case in Goldenrod, being the proud capital of the Johto region.

The pair stepped out into the confusion, bracing themselves for potential impact with fellow shoppers.

Somewhat surprisingly, they arrived at the entrance of the department store unscathed. Making their way through the revolving doors they stepped out into the sun-basked streets of Goldenrod city.

The buildings were covered in an elegant shade of orange as the sun had begun to set over the horizon beyond the reach of the citizens of Goldenrod. The two walked around the building towards the northern gate of town. The city seemed so much more empty now that dusk had arrived, it was relaxing just to walk the streets, staring down at the neatly placed tiles on the floor as they reflected the golden light of the sky.

"I'm sure that X Defend will help out your Miltank in battle!" the green haired female exclaimed, smiling at her companion. Her friend smiled back and nodded.

"Yeah..." she replied, then sighed slightly before continuing. "If only I had more Pokemon... Then I'd be unstoppable for sure!"

"You're not still upset about that trainer battle from the other day are you!?" her friend asked. The pink haired girl sighed.

"It's just..." she yawned, looking up at the warm clouds in the sky. "He showed me... Just how weak I really am..."

"Don't worry about it!" the other cried. "That guy was just a jerk! He was lucky, is all!"

The pink haired girl sighed yet again, the sun glowing warmly on her young face as her gaze fell to the floor.

It was true that she had been on what many trainers could only describe as a 'losing streak' lately. In the past week she had participated in eight battles and had lost seven of them. Her friends and uncle had all tried to cheer her up as best they could, offering her support in terms of battle advice and general confidence boosters, but nothing seemed to be working.

"Hey, cheer up already!" her friend chuckled, prodding her with her elbow playfully. "The next battle you're gonna win hands down."

* * *

Meanwhile, Zak stared at the small map in his hand which the gate guard had given him on his way into the city.

"Huh..." he mumbled to himself as he stared at the small black outlines of marked buildings. "There must be a hotel here somewhere... Maybe just a small inn or something-!"

His concentration was broken by a collision with something. He hadn't been thinking about where he was going again.

The trainer looked up at what he had knocked into, surprised to find a young girl instead of a wall which he had initially thought of. Though, now that he considered it, it did feel a whole lot nicer than walking into a wall...

"Argh, you idiot!" the girl shouted, scrambling to her feet. "Why don't you watch where you're going!?"

"Uh... Sorry...!" Zak stammered, standing up, only to feel ten inches tall by the girl's friend.

"You jerk!" the girl with the green hair cried.

"Uh, look, I'm sorry, it was my fault!" Zak managed to call out.

"That's right!" the aggressive girl growled. Her friend put her hand on her shoulder, adjusting her pink hair which had gotten slightly flattened in the collision.

"Come on, let's go." she insisted. She eyed Zak angrily before the pair left, turning away and walking towards the other end of the city.

Zak sighed, stuffing the map into his pocket and deciding that he would probably be better off without it.

He continued to make his way through the city, passing building after building until he discovered one that caught his eye. It was painted completely in white, beside the door, which had two red stripes at the top and bottom. A large carving of a Pokeball stuck out to the side and in the centre the engravement clearly read: "Pokemon Centre".

Zak smiled, relieved at the thought of finding somewhere to stay for the night.

Pushing the bright door open and walking inside, he, again, as he did in Ecruteak, discovered many Pokemon trainers residing here, only here there seemed to be at least double the amount.

Fortunately the centre seemed much bigger than the previous one, with beds stretching right down the hallway to his right. He made his way through the crowd of trainers towards the reception desk, where he was shocked to see a familiar face.

"Nurse Joy!" he exclaimed. The woman turned, smiling at him, her hair slightly ruffled - Zak assumed it must have been the walk from Ecruteak to Goldenrod, though she seemed unfazed.

"Oh, good evening sir!" she replied. "How may I help you?"

"Hey, how'd you get here so fast from Ecruteak...?" Zak asked.

Nurse Joy blinked, then laughed.

"Oh, you must have met my younger sister!" she giggled. "People often say we look alike, though I'm not entirely sure myself..."

It took a few moments for this information to register with Zak. This Joy was identical to the one in Ecruteak, even down to the same, hypnotic smile and beautiful eyes. Still, he guessed it wasn't impossible for twins to work in the same business, only towns apart.

"Now, what was it you were here for sir?" Joy continued. "Pokemon healed?"

"Oh, no..." Zak answered, holding out his hand and shaking his head. "I'm looking for a place to stay."

"Then you've come to the right place!" the nurse beamed. "We have a few vacancies left, you came just at the right time."

She swiveled her chair around to face the computer next to her and tapped a few keys, awakening the screen with a slight buzz. With the final hit of a button the hulking printer nearby churned out a small ticket with a three digit number on it. She turned back to face the desk and handed the ticket to Zak.

"Here's your number sir." she explained, her smile still prominent. "Enjoy your stay."

"Right, thanks." he returned, pocketing the ticket gratefully. "Do you know if there's a Pokemon Gym anywhere around here by any chance?"

"Yes, there is." Joy replied. "It's one of the larger buildings on the eastern side of town. You can't really miss it."

"Okay." Zak confirmed, nodding his understanding of her slightly vague instructions. "Thanks."

"Enjoy your stay!" the beauty called after him as he made his way further into the Pokemon Centre, trying to find his bed.

* * *

The next morning Zak had slept in slightly, despite the bustle of trainers coming in and out of the centre. It was around eleven AM when he finally rose, gratefully eating the complimentary breakfast that the delightful nurse Joy had served him and the other trainers who had stayed that long.

Pokemon Centres were a great place to see how other trainers were coping with their Pokemon. Some of their monsters were very impressive, others not so, but more often than not, every trainer he met was trying their hardest to be the best that they could be.

The sun was firmly up high in the bright blue sky this morning. It wasn't quite as hot as yesterday, instead it was a pleasingly warm day punctuated by cool, gentle breezes.

It had taken him at least half an hour exploring the maze that was the eastern part of the city, but he had finally managed to find the Goldenrod Pokemon Gym. He paused outside, reading the sign carefully before he entered.

"Leader: Whitney..." he read aloud. "Hmm..."

Zak looked up towards the building and took a deep breath. He could remember exactly how tough his last Gym battle was, and he had a feeling that this one would be no different.

He pushed the door open and walked straight inside as the pleasing sensation of the Gym's air conditioning brushed past the top of his head, allowing his hair to flow with the soft, artificial wind.

This Gym was much more modern and far more pleasing to Zak's senses than Morty's. The walls were painted a bright white and potted flowers broke up the artificial monotony.

He looked around for a moment to find his bearings. This Gym also showed signs of a different architecture. He turned behind the central collection of flowers to discover a large stadium painted exquisitely well on the ground. He looked around, but saw no-one.

"Maybe it's closed...?" he muttered to himself.

His thoughts were cut off by the sound of footsteps approaching from behind. Quickly he spun around on the spot to face the stranger.

"Yes? What is... Oh no!" the figure exclaimed.

"It's you..." Zak murmered, staring at the girl in front of him - the girl he had collided with the day before.

"Ugh... You're not challenging me are you?" the girl sighed, brushing a stray piece of her beautiful, pink hair back behind her ear.

"Uhm..." Zak stammered. "Well, yes... If you're the Gym leader, that is..."

Only now Zak noticed just how pretty she was. She looked around fourteen or so, with bright, shining chestnut eyes and a charming face, no matter what the expression it wore. Her most prominent feature was her wonderfully soft, pink hair, which she wore in two large pigtails that 'spiked out' behind her, like a kind of sharp cotton candy.

She wore an odd, yet elegant looking outfit, with a white jacket adorned with pink and golden decorative effects, such as the ends of the collars and the parting in the centre. Her jeans were a cool, slightly faded black, and below that she wore white sneakers, fashioned with the usual brand logos and 'ticks' coloured in several darker shades.

"Right..." Whitney muttered, turning away from her challenger and standing at the edge of the stadium. "Well what are you waiting for? Get to your end!"

"Oh, right!" Zak nodded, instantly obeying.

The girl pushed back her free- flowing jacket to reveal a black belt and tightly fitting t-shirt, both much darker than the black of her jeans, which held the Pokeballs she would use for the fight. She took one and held it in her right palm, releasing her jacket and allowing it to fall back to her sides.

"You know the rules, right?" she called over from the other end. "Up to six Pokemon each, et cetera et cetera..."

"Got it." Zak called back in response, taking his first choice of Pokeball in his hand and readying himself.

'Normal-type Pokemon Gym, huh?' Zak thought to himself, recalling the information he had discovered back in the Pokemon Centre. 'Let's see how this goes...'

"Alright then." Whitney began, her gaze locked firmly on Zak's position. "Let's go."


	7. Gym Battle Number 2! Zak vs Whitney!

"Clefairy, go!" Whitney shouted, releasing the ball from her grip and causing it to drop to the ground with a gentle thud.

The contents of light spilt out onto the stadium floor in seconds to reveal a small, humanoid Pokemon about three or four feet high. It's fur was a short, well-groomed shade of pastel pink, and it's black eyes shone brightly as it looked up to Zak with an odd sense of curiosity.

This Pokemon seemed more suited as a toy store mascot than a fighting monster. Zak stared at the creature before his opponent called over to him.

"Well, what are you waiting for?"

"Oh, right..." Zak mumbled in response, looking back up at her before throwing down the Pokeball in his hand.

The sphere split open and shot out a glow of light which faded slowly to reveal his Fearow, Pick. The bird hovered magnificently over the battlefield, towering over it's opponent, whose look of curiosity was beginning to turn into slight worry.

"Alright Pick, go for a Quick Attack!"

The bird obeyed, dashing towards the Clefairy and striking it directly in the side before retreating back up to the safety of the air. The enemy clutched it's wound, looking close to being defeated already.

"No!" Whitney cried, her voice filling with despair. "Clefairy, use your Metronome!"

The Clefairy winced slightly before nodding to it's master and reluctantly moving it's hands from it's sides and holding them up high into the air.

The small fingers begin to twirl lazily in a strange, clockwise motion back and forth. The air around Pick seemed to get heavy as the bird struggled to keep it's eyes on the enemy.

Suddenly and without warning, Clefairy began to glow a deep orange colour, as if something was on fire inside of it's body. The glow slowly became more intense until the small creature was enveloped in raging flames which spread out and engulfed the entire stadium in molten light, accompanied by a large explosion. The flames slowly died away and both Pokemon could be seen lying motionless on the floor of the Gym.

"What the...?" Zak muttered. He pointed the Pokeball in his hands to return Pick to the safety of his possession. Whitney did the same for her Pokemon.

"I'm real proud of you, Clefairy. Sorry you had to do that." she whispered to the spherical object in her hands which now housed her fainted warrior.

"Okay..." she murmured, replacing the ball on her belt and releasing her second choice of Pokemon. "Miltank, it's your turn!"

This Pokemon was another that Zak had never seen before. It didn't seem too threatening, but it was over twice the size of the Clefairy she had used previously. It's fine, short black and white fur was glossy and vibrant, and it seemed to have been well taken care of. A small, golden yellow bell was tied around it's neck, causing it to seem even less intimidating.

"In that case I'll use you, Tauros!" Zak cried, throwing his choice of Pokeball down into the arena. The bull snorted, dragging it's front right hoof against the floor of the Gym, ready to begin it's part of the battle.

"Oh, how cute!" Whitney muttered loudly, clasping her hands together and bringing them to her chest. "It's so good to see someone else enjoying the wonders of Normal-type Pokemon..."

"Uh... Are we going to fight or what...?" Zak called over from the other end of the stadium.

"Ugh...!" Whitney growled, taking a small bottle of what looked to be a kind of Pokemon ointment in her hand. She unscrewed the top and threw it above her warrior, spreading an odd kind of powder over it.

"That X Defend should help do the trick!" she exclaimed before pointing straight towards Zak's Pokemon. "Alright then, Miltank, use Infatuation!"

The Pokemon nodded it's head lazily, then fixed it's gaze upon it's opponent. Tauros snorted again, staring straight back into the Miltank's eyes with a defiant look in them. Whitney's Pokemon slowly broke the connection by closing it's eyes and mooing gently. Zak watched the fight, confused.

"What... Is happening?" he asked himself under his breath, despite knowing that he wouldn't get the answer. "That's enough! Tauros, use your Stomp attack on it!"

Tauros stayed completely still, it's eyes fixated on the enemy. It moved it's head in a seemingly hypnotic state, as if it couldn't hear it's trainers orders.

"What are you waiting for!?" Zak cried. The fact that he didn't know what was happening to his Pokemon made it so much worse.

"I assume you don't even know what Infatuation does, right?" the opposing trainer called over. Zak frowned.

"Well, no... But..."

Whitney laughed slightly.

"Your Tauros is a male, right?" she continued, her sweet smile now showing a hint of triumph.

"I... I don't know?" Zak stammered.

"It won't fight my Miltank." Whitney explained. "Just like the name says, your Pokemon now adores mine, and won't attack it without great difficulty. Now..." the leader began, lifting her arm up towards the ceiling. "Miltank, use Rollout!"

The Pokemon mooed it's confirmation of the order, stepping back slightly in preparation for the attack. Suddenly it began to dash straight towards the enemy, galloping at an alarming rate of speed. Before impact it propelled itself in the air and spun it's body vertically, striking the target and causing Tauros to reel backwards, still with a dazed look on it's face.

"Ugh, this is useless..." Zak complained, returning his Pokemon to it's specific ball. "Now what...?"

He sighed, looking down to his side to check on which Pokemon to use next.

"Aha..." he smiled, taking one into his palm and throwing it straight into the battlefield. "Torch, I choose you!"

The ball split open on impact with the ground and burst open to allow Zak's Magmar to take it's place on the stadium. The fire Pokemon opened it's mouth, excitedly jumping on the spot, eager to do well in this fight.

"Ha!" Whitney laughed. "Miltank, use Infatuation on it!"

"Don't look at it, Torch!" Zak called out, though he was too late. The Magmar's gaze had already met with that of the Miltank, and he too was under it's spell. "Ugh... Oh no... Well... Try and use your Flamethrower on it!"

The Magmar shook it's head, desperately trying to free itself of the 'spell' Whitney's Pokemon had put on it. Whilst it was flailing around, holding it's head desperately, Miltank had already begun it's attack, spinning directly into the creature and causing it to skid along the floor, smoke beginning to emerge from the friction between the ground and it's hot skin.

Torch slowly got to it's feet, shaking it's head before looking up and seeing a second Rollout attack coming straight towards it. It scrambled along the edge of the stadium and dashed into the centre, narrowly avoiding the Miltank. It's reactions were sluggish and it was clear it was in a desperate struggle, trying to fight what it didn't want to.

The Magmar jumped up into the air and spewed out a long stream of intense flames from it's mouth, scorching the Miltank's fur and causing it to continue rolling around the stadium in an attempt to cool down. It skidded at the edge of the stadium and rolled back to where it had come from, straight towards Torch.

The Gym's Pokemon crashed directly into the slow-moving Magmar, sending it flying out of the ring and landing with a crash. Torch's hand went up slightly, shaking before falling to the ground in exhaustion.

"Torch, return!" Zak ordered, directing a stream of red light from the Magmar's Pokeball at the fainted creature, picking it up and restoring it to the safety of the sphere.

"Woah..." he breathed quietly, determined not to let Whitney see her fighting strategy was getting to him. He watched her out of the corner of his eye as he spoke under his breath. "Good thing humans can't use Infatuation... Alright!"

He took a third Pokeball from his belt, pressing the small white button in the centre to enlarge it to fit snugly into his palm. His look of confidence was all a front - Virtually all of his Pokemon were male, and therefore easily susceptible to Whitney's Infatuation/Rollout strategy. All except one...

"Nidoqueen, I choose you!"

Zak released the pale blue plated Pokemon into the ring, the smile on his face evident. Nidoqueen seemed ready to fight, roaring in a light, high pitched tone and outstretching it's arms into the air. It looked down on the Miltank, which seemed to share it's trainer's nerves. Whitney hadn't been expecting this.

"Uh..." she murmered, looking up at the towering dinosaur of a Pokemon. "We could still... Maybe... Uh, Miltank! Use Rollout: as much power as you can, go!"

Whitney's Pokemon mooed confidently, speeding up into a roll before circling the Nidoqueen several times. The speed of the animal had begun to create small trails of smoke that rose from the ground. Suddenly and without warning, Miltank collided into it's target, causing Nidoqueen to flinch slightly.

"Nidoqueen, try and get it in range for an Ice Beam!" Zak declared, watching as his Pokemon tried to get it's bearings. She looked up and scanned the area. The Miltank was gone.

Nidoqueen looked around, confused, before falling straight onto the ground after being struck from behind. Miltank rolled over the fallen Pokemon and skidded on the edge of the stadium, turning for the next hit. Hurriedly, Nidoqueen opened it's mouth and blasted a continuous beam of ice straight at the speeding opponent. Miltank continued to roll towards her, speed increasing, beginning to overpower the ice.

"No way...!" Zak gasped.

Nidoqueen finished her attack, though she barely had time to catch her breath before Whitney's Miltank delivered a third and final blow to the monster, pushing it down onto it's back, kicking up some of the dirt that had emerged from the fight.

"YES!" Whitney cried, ecstatic. She jumped up and down on the spot, punching the air victoriously. "You did it Miltank, way to go!"

She turned back to Zak, who was staring at the ground beneath his feet.

"Ready to give up?" she asked. Zak smiled and lifted his head, a small, dark blue sphere held between his first two fingers. He pressed the button in the centre to enlarge the Great ball in his hands.

"Not by a long shot." he said, smiling.

He threw the ball down onto the stadium ground, revealing his father's Scizor standing tall and confident in the centre of the field. Whitney let out a slight gasp of terror - her Miltank was on it's last knees.

"Scizor..." Zak began, his smile growing. "Why don't you show this Miltank just why you're the strongest of my Pokemon?"

Scizor did nothing but stand there. It growled slightly, watching it's trainer from the corner of it's eye.

"Okay Miltank, we're not out yet!" Whitney urged. "Use Infatuation on it! Then it'll be ripe for the picking!"

Miltank nodded nervously, turning from her trainer over to the opposing Pokemon in front of her. It appeared to be watching it's own trainer more than the Miltank.

"Hey, Scizor, watch out!" Zak warned, pointing to Whitney's Pokemon, but again it looked like he was too late. Miltank began to moo softly, shaking it's head gently and causing the bell around it's neck to chime. Scizor stared at Miltank for a moment, then snorted, turning back to it's trainer.

"...Huh?" Whitney mumbled, puzzled by this event. "What the...? Unless...!" her eyes widened as she came to the realisation of Scizor's behaviour.

"Ah, of course!" she exclaimed, pointing straight at Zak's Pokemon.

"Huh?" Zak stuttered, watching the Gym leader from his end of the stadium. "What is it...?"

"Can't you see!?" Whitney laughed. "Your Scizor doesn't respect you! How did you even manage to catch it? It's not listening to a thing you say!"

"...What?" Zak asked under his breath.

He thought back to the different times he had used Scizor in battle. Of course! He had never given Scizor a direct order... The Pokemon must have been acting of it's own accord the whole time...

"Oh, this is just too perfect!" Whitney giggled, turning back to Miltank. "Okay, just keep rolling Miltank! Since Rollout doubles in power every time you make a hit, it looks like our challenger is going to fall pretty soon..."

Whitney's eyes glinted as she looked over to Zak, whose smile had now disappeared amid the worry she had just unloaded on him.

Miltank mooed happily, it's nerves gone as it began to spin on the spot, revving itself for the final blow to end this match. It spun faster, and faster, and faster... It's speed now at maximum potential, the Pokemon charged straight for Zak's.

The distance was depleted in mere seconds, until she was inches away from impact, when suddenly, Scizor lifted it's leg up and kicked the Pokemon away, sending it spiralling up in the air and crashing down into the well decorated flower beds that adorned the centre of the Gym.

Scizor growled, it's gaze now turned onto Whitney. Zak watched it, shocked, before hesitantly returning it to the ball in his hands. He stared at the sphere in his hands, not able to believe what it had just achieved. It rolled slightly, causing Zak to feel a burning sensation in the centre of his palm where it lay. He quickly attached it to his belt, shaking his head as if trying to wake up from a dream.

Zak stood there in silence for a moment before walking over towards his defeated opponent.

Whitney was on her knees, staring at the ground, hugging her Miltank, who, despite several bruises, seemed to be okay. Zak crouched down next to her, though she moved her head further away, not allowing him to see her face.

"Uh..." Zak murmered. "I..."

"Just leave me alone!" Whitney shouted, returning Miltank to it's Pokeball and walking away. Zak could hear her sobbing.

"But, I..."

"Just shut up!" she cried, moving swiftly away from the stadium and heading towards a small door near the back of the Gym.

Zak could hear the sound of a key turning as she slammed it shut behind her. He clenched his fist, allowing his eyes to trail down to his belt, where the Great ball lay. He shook his head, still overwhelmed by the power of the creature, before walking away towards the exit of the Gym.

He didn't need the badge to prove himself. What counted was the experience.

* * *

Zak closed the double doors behind him, staring up at the afternoon sky and sighing deeply. He felt bad about Whitney - he had barely managed to win. He felt that she had played the better match, and unwittingly shown him a lot of his weaknesses as a trainer. Nothing could be done about it now though.

He leaned against the outside wall of the Gym before setting back out to the Pokemon Centre, where he would heal his warriors and head south to the next town. As he walked, Zak thought to himself.

'Whitney was right...' he breathed, feeling the hot rays of sunshine beating down on him. He brushed his hand through his black hair, feeling the moisture of the sweat from the previous match.

'I can't even control my Pokemon right... And if I can't control you...' he paused, taking the Great ball from his belt again and examining it. 'Then I guess I'll never find my father...' he replaced the Pokeball to his side and continued walking.

* * *

Whitney sobbed into the soft tissue, brushing away the tears that had escaped before she moaned louder, causing more to emerge.

"Why does this always happen to me!?" she whined, taking another tissue from the box beside her and attempting to dry her eyes once more.

She looked up to the white ceiling, where a single light flickered slightly in response.

"If my parents saw me now..." she whimpered. "They'd realise how useless I am... Oh, that jerk!" she cried, remembering Zak's face. "It's all his fault!"

There was a knock at the door, causing Whitney to pause, listening out to see who it was.

"Whitney?" a female voice called. "Whitney, are you in there?"

"Ayane?" she called back, fighting back the tears.

"Hey, what's wrong?" the voice of her friend called back. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah..." Whitney replied, throwing away the used tissue in her hand. "Hold on..." she got up, taking the small, bronzed key from the table and unlocking the door with it.

Her friend walked in, the same one with the green hair from yesterday.

"Hey, what's wrong?" she asked, noticing Whitney's tear stained face. "What happened here?"

"It's nothing..." she responded, feeling her friend's arms hug her in a warm embrace. "I lost again... Like I always do!"

"Hey, come on!" the girl snapped. "Don't talk like that!"

"But it's true... I'll never get anywhere with my training if I stay here! I'm just waiting to be beaten, again and again...!" she began to cry again. "Oh, why me!? His Pokemon were just too powerful!"

Ayane patted her friend on the back.

"There, there..." she whispered in her ear. "...Hey!" she exclaimed, suddenly coming to a realisation. Whitney broke their hug, looking back at the girl.

"What...?" she sniffed. Ayane smiled.

"That guy..." she said, smiling. "He only just left, right? You could... If you hurry... You might be able to go with him..."

"WHAT!?" Whitney shouted. "Go with him...? That loser!? Oh, come on, Ayane! You know I'll never learn anything about Pokemon training if I go with him! He was just lucky is all! Besides, I have to run things here..."

"So if he was just lucky," another voice chimed in as a slightly chubby, older man entered the room. "why are you so upset?"

"Uncle..." Whitney sniffed, tears welling up in her eyes. She hated her Uncle Milton seeing her like this - she hated to show any signs of weakness to him, just in case he left just like the rest of them.

"Whitney..." Milton sighed. "You're too stubborn."

Whitney didn't respond, instead she simply stared at the floor, her arms wrapped around her legs as she continued to lapse into her brooding depression.

"I was watching the battle, you know." the old man chuckled, sitting down beside his niece and rubbing her shoulder sympathetically. "It was a lot closer than you think."

"Go after him. I'll take over the Gym for you, until you come back." her uncle continued.

Whitney looked deep into her uncle's eyes.

"But," Whitney's trembling voice spoke up once more. "Uncle Milton... You don't even know that kid. Why do you want me to-"

Her uncle interrupted her thoughts by placing a finger over her lips and smiled sincerely.

"You know it makes sense."

Whitney was silent. She stared down at the ground, watching her feet idly, trying to think of reasons not to go.

"Don't put it off any longer." Ayane insisted. "You're a great Pokemon trainer, but sometimes... Sometimes you just have to broaden your horizons."

* * *

Zak looked back at the huge city which he was about to leave behind. Though he had only spent a day here, he felt a part of him had grown already. He now knew what he had to do: he had to devote himself to training his Pokemon, and give them the opportunity to trust him as a trainer, and as a partner.

The city was again bathed in a deep shade of orange as the sun began to set beyond the mountains, far away. Sighing, he turned back to his destination: south, through Ilex Forest and on to Azalea Town. His determination had grown immensely.

He took the first step out of the city and again into neutral territory. The serene calm of nature made a pleasing contrast to the bustling city of Goldenrod. He was now alone, with only the trees, the fields, and the hidden Pokemon for company. He continued to walk forward, to the next step of his journey.

"Hey!" a voice called behind him.

Zak turned, looking back at the city that he had just left. A girl was running towards him, though he couldn't quite make out who it was. Upon closer proximity, he realised that it was Whitney, the Gym leader. For some reason, she had a pastel-pink backpack slung across her back.

"Hey!" she panted, finally making her way to him. She paused for breath before continuing - running through Goldenrod wasn't the easiest thing in the world.

"I... I just wanted to give you... To give you this..." she said, offering him a small yellow, diamond shaped badge. Zak looked at it for a moment before turning his back on her and walking away.

"Thanks, but I don't need this." he replied.

"Hey, wait!" she called back after him, running along at his side. "Please, I want you to take it!"

Zak stopped again, then looked into her eyes, those shining, brilliant chestnut eyes.

"I could see it meant a lot to you." he replied. "You can keep it."

Whitney scowled at this. She was far too used to getting her own way at times.

"You're going to take it whether you like it or not!" she ordered, thrusting it at him.

Zak hesitated before taking it from her, pinning it onto his shirt next to his other trophy.

"Thanks..." he muttered. There was an uneasy silence, the rustling of the leaves in the wind the only thing that punctuated it.

Zak again turned to walk away, when Whitney took his hand. He stopped in his tracks, turning back around in surprise.

"And..." she began. "I'm... Well, that is, I'd like to..." she breathed nervously. Why was it so hard to ask? "If you don't mind, I'd like to join you... On your Pokemon journey..."

"No way." he answered.

Whitney appeared flustered. "But why!?"

"It..." he sighed, remembering what his father's friend had told him - 'trust only in yourself'. "Well, I..."

Whitney continued to look up at him, her eyes eager to please.

"Ugh..." he complained, putting a hand on his head. "It just wouldn't work... You wouldn't understand..."

"Please...?" she begged, tightening her grip on him, her hands now wrapped around his arm. "It won't be for that long... Just until you reach Violet City? You are going that way, aren't you?"

"...I guess..." Zak mumbled most incoherently.

"...Please?" Whitney insisted.

Zak smiled to himself. He was too soft for his own good, but he just couldn't deny her her wish.

"...Sure..." he sighed, feigning exasperation. "But only until we reach Violet, okay?"

Whitney nodded, smiling sweetly.

"I promise."

There was a slightly awkward pause before Whitney spoke up again, extending her hand towards Zak.

"I don't think we've been properly introduced yet." She explained. "I'm Whitney. Whitney Akane."

"I'm Zak." Zak replied, smiling and taking her hand, shaking it firmly. "Zak Vangard."

"Well, it's nice to finally meet you, Zak!" Whitney giggled. "Shall we go?"

And with that, the two trainers headed south towards Ilex Forest, unaware that two figures stood watch from the Goldenrod city gates.

"Are you sure she'll be alright with that guy?" Ayane asked Milton, who stood grinning, his arms folded in front of his chest.

"Just call it a premonition." he answered back, his eyes locked on the two trainers as they blended into the horizon. "I predict great things for those two."


	8. Ilex Forest And Into The Unknown!

The next morning went along very slowly. It was surprising just how much Whitney talked, despite the fact she had barely known Zak for twenty four hours.

He didn't mind the conversations, but at times he felt she would drift him off course, occasionally making him forget about exactly where they were going. It was probably unintentional, so Zak said nothing about it.

The company made a change from the usual journeying by himself; he had never really been with anyone around his age range before, so he was quite new to this, though she seemed to be guiding him through it just fine.

"Yeah, the Gym hasn't been doing too great recently..." Whitney continued as they walked along the dirt path in the hazy afternoon sunshine, the trees watching over them as they made their way towards Ilex Forest.

Zak breathed in deeply. The Johto countryside was truly beautiful - huge, tall trees, long grass, fields of flowers - the colours and shades were breathtaking to behold.

"So I thought I'd come with you, sharpen up my skills a bit, see the world maybe, if that was alright with you of course. Which it was, and I'm glad about that, of course!" she laughed slightly at this, something which Zak felt was a prompt for him to react.

"Have you ever been outside Goldenrod before?" he asked.

Whitney nodded, staring down at the track, watching her feet carry her forward idly.

"Yes," she replied. "but not too many places around here... I was born in Violet city but we moved when I was just a baby... Then..."

"What happened to your parents?" Zak questioned, his viewpoint switching to her from the corner of his eye. Whitney fell silent. "Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"No, it's okay..." she insisted. "They... They left... A long time ago..."

Whitney hesitated slightly before pressing on.

"But my uncle's always looked after me, so I guess I don't really know any different."

There was a long silence before Zak spoke up again.

"So, you've never been outside Johto?" he hesitated, trying to change the subject as swiftly as he could.

"Well, yes, actually." Whitney began once again. "I've been to the western edge of Kanto, to Indigo Plateau."

"Kanto, huh?" Zak mused. "I sure wouldn't mind going there..."

"Yes!" Whitney brightened up, looking over at her traveling companion. "I heard they have lots of rare Pokemon over there, though I didn't get a chance to go and have a look around..."

"What did you do there then?" Zak was beginning to find himself more and more absorbed by the conversations by the minute. They both continued to walk as the path began to turn slightly.

"Well, a Gym leader has to go to Indigo Plateau to get their license, you see."

"Oh, right. So you got to have the Gym? That must've been tough."

Whitney smiled, looking up to the blue sky above them. She could see a single cloud floating gently through the air.

"Yeah, it was my moment of triumph..." she said, smiling to herself. "So, anyway, why are you collecting badges? Wanna be a Pokemon master, right?"

"Oh, no, I..." Zak stopped suddenly, remembering what his father's friend had told him.

'Trust no one...'.

Whitney stopped also, looking up at Zak.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Oh, nothing!" Zak stammered a response, beginning to walk again and allowing his companion to follow by his side.

"So what are you training for then?"

"Oh, I, uh..." Zak managed to blurt out, struggling to come up with an excuse on the spur of the moment. "I mean, yeah. Yeah, I wanna be a Pokemon master. Stake my claim in the Johto league and all that..." His voice began to trail off nervously.

He noticed Whitney at his side, eying him rather curiously.

"Hm... Well, okay." Whitney shrugged. They both came around the corner near to the entrance of a darkening cluster of trees when she pointed towards them. "That's it. Ilex Forest."

"And we have to go through there to get to Azalea Town, right?" Zak reminded himself, Whitney nodding to confirm that he had the correct answer.

"Alright then." he said, smiling and continuing their walk.

They continued to travel for a couple of minutes at their regular pace when something caught Zak's eye. He stopped, causing Whitney to stare at him, confused.

"Wh... What is it?" she wondered out loud.

Zak stared at the long grass for a moment, the wind rustling through the tall blades of green until suddenly, a small, irregularly shaped creature leapt out in front of them. It's pink surface wobbled as it hopped along the ground, looking up at the two travelers and blinking with it's shiny, black eyes.

"What's that?" Zak inquired, turning to Whitney to see if she had the answer.

"That?" she echoed. "Oh, that's a Ditto."

Zak looked back to the Pokemon, that made an odd noise reminiscent of giggling before hopping closer.

"It's a pretty interesting Pokemon..." she continued as Zak stared blankly at the jelly-like animal that was circling him. "A Normal-type which only ever learns one move."

"One move?" Zak muttered, watching the Ditto hop along the path, across the other side, looking around. "Well, that sounds kinda useless..."

"Well, no not really." Whitney corrected him. "The move it learns is Transform - it can copy it's opponent's DNA and morph into that Pokemon for a short time. Then it can use all of that Pokemon's moves!"

"Hey, you know that doesn't sound half bad..." Zak commented, taking one of the Pokeballs from his belt and throwing it down to the ground, releasing his Magmar, Torch, onto the path in front of the Ditto. "I think I may catch this one..."

"Hey, well good luck..." Whitney wished, making a little space on the grass beside the path and sitting down to watch the oncoming battle.

"Any advice?" Zak asked, smiling at the target.

"No, sorry!" Whitney answered, closing her eyes and grinning. The wild Pokemon stared at Torch, slightly puzzled. "I've never tried to catch a Ditto before..."

"Right, well then Torch, try an Ember shot at it!"

The Magmar nodded, dashing towards the Ditto before stopping, staring at it's target as it began to glow a bright white. It's outline shifted and the light surrounding it's body faded to reveal a perfect replica of Torch.

Zak's Magmar looked back to it's trainer, looking at him for an answer. Zak nodded.

Torch turned back to the wild Pokemon and charged at it, somersaulting above it's head and taking it's tail in it's right hand. Torch blew on the fire that was burning on it's tail, causing a stream of small, firey sparks to shower down onto the Ditto.

The wild Pokemon stepped back, trying to wave some of the stray sparks away before launching it's own reply at Zak's Magmar. A wave of flames came flowing out of the Ditto's mouth, which chased it's target around the dusty path.

"Now Torch, use a Smokescreen!" the trainer called.

Torch nodded, hopping over the oncoming sweep of fire and then blowing towards the Ditto, shrouding the entire area in smoke. Torch hurried over to Zak who was already preparing an empty poke ball for the occasion.

"Pokeball, go!" he called as he threw the sphere towards the centre of the fog, watching as a vague outline of light emerged from within before vanishing. The screen began to lift and Zak walked over to the lone Pokeball that was shaking and rolling around on the floor.

After a few moments the small button in the centre of the device flipped open, throwing the form of the transformed Ditto right back out again. The Ditto growled at Torch before charging at it headfirst, unleashing a devastating wave of flames that engulfed the fire-type Pokemon as it went.

"Argh!" Zak yelled in frustration, watching as the battle continued. "I thought for sure I'd caught it!"

He quickly ran to where the split Pokeball lay and scooped it up in his hands whilst the Ditto began to launch Fire Punches at Torch, which the Magmar barely managed to dodge.

Torch was finding it difficult to improvise without his trainer's orders and before it knew quite what was happening it had found itself pinned up against the narrow wooden fence which separated route thirty-four from the huge, vacuous ocean. Torch watched the waves crashing gently against the shoreline through the corner of it's eye, a sense of panic suddenly flowing through the creature.

"Torch!" Zak called out to his Pokemon. "Roll to the side and counter it with another Smokescreen!"

Torch obeyed it's trainer, swiftly dashing to the right and narrowly avoiding another fire punch from it's opponent. Torch quickly turned to face it's attacker and spat out a second veil of black smog which clouded the area.

Sitting on the grassy verge opposite, Whitney watched the battle with keen interest; it had been a long time since she last caught a Pokemon of her own.

"Okay Torch, we've got it now!" Zak encouraged the Magmar, a grin beginning to emerge on his face. "Cover that smoke with an Ember attack!"

Torch nodded it's understanding and began to wave it's tail from left to right in a rapid motion. Within seconds the heat generating from it's body began to grow into tiny flames which flew into the black cloud and rained down over the surrounded Ditto.

As the smoke cleared and the fire began to dissipate, Zak stood waiting with the Pokeball, ready for a second shot.

"Pokeball, go!" he cried, lifting the ball up with his right arm and throwing it straight at the cloned Magmar.

The wild Pokemon's shape returned to a form of red light and shook vigorously on the tiled pathway, as if refusing to stay in one place. Both Zak and Whitney, as well as Torch, watched in silent anticipation, the seconds ticking away in an agonisingly slow fashion, until finally...

The ball stopped in it's tracks, the white button in it's centre losing it's faded red glow and therefore indicating that the Pokemon inside it had been successfully caught.

Zak wandered cautiously towards the device, not wanting to accidentally undo what had just happened. Picking it up somewhat reluctantly, he smiled and turned back to Torch.

"Good job, Torch." he congratulated. The Magmar smiled contently, watching as Zak allowed him to return to the comfort of his own sphere.

Zak clipped his latest Pokemon to his belt, walking over to Whitney who had gotten back to her feet.

"Any ideas on a name?" he asked.

Whitney shrugged before answering. She had quite enjoyed watching the battle, and it reminded her of her starting days as a Pokemon trainer, before she inherited the Gym.

"I think Ditto will fit just fine." she replied, motioning towards the entrance to Ilex Forest. "Shall we?"

Zak nodded, turning back onto the path and making his way towards his next goal. Whitney would follow closely behind.

* * *

Time had passed quickly as the two travelers continued on their journey, making their way into the thick foliage of Ilex Forest.

Zak looked up at the once bright sky, now barely able to pierce the thick canopy of leaves above. The stars had returned once more, gazing down upon the world below them. Night.

It had been a good day, all in all. Whitney's company had proved enjoyable - more so than he had originally thought when he first allowed her to tag along. The more time that was spent with her revealed that she was, indeed, more than just a pretty face. Although he felt that his quest was secure whilst around her, he knew better than to divulge anything that may jeopardize it's security.

They both stopped walking for a moment as Zak reached his arm out in front of him. A cold sensation responded in his palm. Drops of water began to slowly trickle over it, gaining momentum.

"Rain..." he muttered. They both stood there, silent for a moment, listening to the sounds of the rushing water cascading from leaf to leaf.

"Well, we should really be setting up for the night anyway..." Whitney commented, walking forward slightly and crouching down in a small corner of shrubbery. Zak watched her for a moment, confused.

"But..." he stammered. "I don't have any camping equipment..." Whitney laughed.

"It's a good thing I'm here with you then, huh?" she responded, removing her backpack and checking inside. "A good trainer always brings supplies when they go on a journey..." she continued as she removed a large, dark green piece of folded material from the pack.

"I never really thought about it..." Zak murmured out loud, mostly to himself, though his words were clearly audible to allow Whitney to hear them.

She smiled, slightly nervous, continuing to unpack the tent, unravelling a piece of worn string that was wrapped around several pegs to hold the tent down to the ground.

Zak looked up; the rain was getting heavier. He turned back to look at Whitney, watching as she continued to prepare for the night. He would offer to help, but he had little experience in camping. Indeed, he had never been this far from home before; the island he originally lived on was very small and long journeys were mostly unheard of.

The noises of the rain became more audible as more and more water penetrated the forest canopy. Whitney looked up, covering her eyes for any potential impact. She turned back to him.

"Come on, before we get soaked."

Zak stepped inside the surprisingly protective cover of the dark green tent, unaware of the sinister eyes watching him from the thick concealment of the forest trees. Eyes which belonged to a teenage boy, looking not much older than thirteen.

The stranger had thick green hair and matching eyes that were concealed by large, blue-tinted shades. On his body he wore a light, navy coloured jacket with a bulky, dark green cape attached to the back. Underneath all of this was a white dress shirt and from the waist down he wore dark blue jeans and large, black hiking boots. To finish off the look, his hands wore dark navy leather gauntlets.

As he stood there, watching silently, the boy remembered his mission objectives and clutched a Pokeball close to his stomach, fists clenched.

"That's it, Vangard..." he whispered to himself from behind the shrubs. "Just sit back and relax..."

The boy looked down towards the plastic sphere in his hand. Slowly, silently, he clicked the central white button and rolled it gently onto the damp grass below, where a soft red light released itself onto the ground.

As the light faded, the tiny form of a Spinarak, a small spider Pokemon of just under two feet in height and coloured with vibrant green and yellow patterns, appeared in it's place.

"You know what to do."

The Spinarak nodded, then scurried away through the bushes and beside the outer edge of the tent where Zak and Whitney continued to talk.

Zak and Whitney both stared up at the ceiling of the tent as the rain continued to fall outside.

After a long period of silence Whitney eventually spoke up, not taking her eyes off the roof of the tent.

"So..." she muttered, shifting her legs uncomfortably within her sleeping bag. "You're not going to tell me what you're really doing in Johto, are you?"

Zak's gaze trailed over towards her, surprised.

It was only now that he noticed that she was actually rather cute, with her soft, electric pink hair and those chestnut eyes that seemed to simply exude an aura of innocence. Yet the expression on her face was quite serious - stern almost - though one thing Zak had noted since he met her was that she seemed to change moods rather rapidly.

"I, uh, I already..." he replied, looking back up as he began to speak.

"Admit it Zak," Whitney grinned. "you're a terrible liar."

"I..." Zak's expression was solemn. "I can't tell you..."

"Whatever." Whitney answered, turning away to the side of the tent, her curt sentence showing obvious anger.

"It's not that I don't want to, it's just..." Zak reasoned, but to no avail.

"Well, it won't matter once we reach Violet City." Whitney said in response, her tone of voice now indicating she really wasn't all that bothered.

She yawned, closing her eyes gently.

"Well, goodnight."

Zak rolled over to face away from Whitney, also. He stared over at the small belt that he had left in the corner, six Pokeballs clipped in their place. His vision fixed on the dark blue one as his mind began to question whether he would ever be able to control his father's Scizor.

Was he asking too much of himself? Or was he never really meant to control such power?

His father's samurai blade, protected in it's sheath, lay beside the ball as an almost sinister reminder. Whatever the cause, he felt that the answer would eventually reveal itself to him in time.

"Goodnight..." he whispered softly, closing his eyes to the relaxing sound of the falling rain.

From the other side of the tent, Whitney opened her eyes cautiously. She felt so uncomfortable around Zak and yet at other times she would feel completely at home. She was confused... Why did she feel this way? And if he didn't trust her, should she even bother trying to trust him? It was just all so weird trying to understand him, or why he was here in Johto.

'I can't believe I lost to this guy...' she thought bitterly as her eyes began to close on their own instinct. 'I'll find out about you, Zak Vangard...' she thought. 'Whether you like it or not...'


	9. The Mysterious Tanner

Zak awoke the next morning, the warmth of a gentle summer breeze and the sound of a hooting Pidgey stirring him gently from his sleeping bag.

He peered over his shoulder towards where Whitney still lay, sleeping quietly. He watched her for a moment, breathing slowly in and out, before snapping back to reality.

Zak reached for his belt and sword, slinging the weapon around his chest and clipping the belt to his waist. He looked back towards Whitney, then silently walked outside, breathing in the fresh morning air.

It was still fairly dark inside Ilex; the sun shone down on top of the forest canopy, giving the effect of a permanent shade all across the land.

Zak yawned before unclipping one of the red and white Pokeballs from his belt and throwing it down to the ground. From it's confines appeared Torch, his trusted Magmar and the first Pokemon he had caught in Johto. Torch looked up at it's trainer curiously.

"Good morning, Torch." Zak said, smiling. "I don't know about you, but I'm feeling pretty hungry. You wanna come look for something to eat with me?"

Torch nodded happily, eagerly following Zak as he headed towards the edge of the dirt path and hopped into the tall grass where the trees and shadows grew thicker. Zak pushed his way past thorns and branches, the small, duck-like Pokemon following closely behind him, eagerly on the lookout for food.

"Ah, here we go." Zak spoke up, picking a small, pastel blue berry from the branch of a small tree. "An oran berry." Zak began to pick as many as he could, inspiring Torch to do the same with the lower branches.

"I used to have these back home." Zak explained to his companion as the two of them picked. "Mom used to bake an awesome oran berry pie." he paused for a moment, thinking of his mother and sister. "I could really go for some pie right now..." he mumbled.

Breaking him out of his daydream, Torch handed Zak two handfuls of berries happily.

"Great job, Torch. Thanks!"

The two of them continued to walk further through the thick forest, eventually stopping beside two low hanging trees where the canopy wasn't quite so thick. The sunlight was more obvious here, and was a perfect spot to relax.

Zak sat down beside Torch, helping himself to some of the berries they had found. He offered some to his Pokemon, who gladly accepted. The two of them sat in silence for a moment, enjoying the sights and sounds of forest life.

As the minutes passed by and the two enjoyed their meal, many different forest dwelling Pokemon passed by, either curiously watching the two strangers or just carrying on with day-to-day events. Zak marveled at the variety of Bug and Grass-type Pokemon on display, many of which he would never normally see on the small island he called home.

"Caterpie... Weedle... Paras... Oddish...!" Zak mumbled excitedly as the creatures all passed him one by one. He felt a tug on his left arm, and looked down at Torch, who pointed back towards where they had come from. "Hm? What is it little guy?"

Torch began to make different motions with it's hands. At first it blew gently against the back of it's palms, causing a small burst of fire to shoot out on either side of it's head, giving the momentary illusion that it had pigtails made of fire. Then it began to imitate throwing something, all the while pointing in the direction of where the two of them had come from.

"Oh..." Zak hummed for a moment, trying to communicate with the mime artist sitting beside him. "You mean... Whitney?"

Torch nodded.

"Ha! Don't worry about her, she'll be fine. I haven't seen one single human since we entered this forest, and besides, she's a Gym leader: she can take care of herself!"

Torch sighed somewhat and sat back down, though it didn't get to rest for long. Zak spotted what looked like a large, pointed leaf, about a foot long, moving through the tall grass before them. He hurriedly got to his feet, treading carefully after it.

"What the...?" he whispered to himself as he followed it's route through the long grass, dropping the oran berries beside the tree where Torch was sitting.

After following the moving plant's direction for a few seconds, Zak watched as it reversed it's direction of travel and suddenly turned on the spot. A narrow, green face sporting wide, inquisitive red eyes stared cautiously at the human in front of it.

A large grin spread across Zak's face as he suddenly realised the creature's identity.

"Alright!" Zak exclaimed, motioning towards Torch. "I've always wanted to catch myself a Chikorita! Let's go, Torch - use Ember!"

Without hesitation Torch launched itself from the trunk of the tree, leaping towards the Chikorita and scattering a trail of gentle flames on top of it. The Pokemon growled in response, then dashed out of the grass and onto the shorter shrubbery nearby. Turning to face the Magmar, it growled angrily.

The two Pokemon glared at each other for a moment before the Chikorita suddenly launched itself at Torch. Torch lifted up it's hands, deflecting the Grass-type's Tackle and holding it in a firm headlock.

"Now use Fire Punch!" Zak called from the tall grass, punching his fist in the air and cheering on his Pokemon as it battled.

Torch lifted back it's right hand for a moment, forming a fist. After a few seconds it ignited into flames and was sent colliding into the Chikorita, which rolled back from the impact. It quickly leapt back onto it's feet, snarling at Torch and brushing it's feet against the short grass, ready to charge again.

"Woah..." Zak murmured, impressed. "You're a tough little cookie, aren't you?" He turned to look at Torch, who was waiting for his next command. "Okay Torch, stare it out with Leer!"

The two Pokemon stamped their feet firmly to the ground in unison, both glaring into each other's eyes in an intense staring contest.

"That's it, Torch, psych it out! Now use Ember again!"

Torch broke away from the Chikorita's gaze and leapt towards it, flames shooting from it's fire-like body and raining down onto the target. The Chikorita gritted it's teeth and lowered it's body closer to the ground, waiting for just the right moment, when all of sudden it slammed into the stomach of the Magmar, jumping up as soon as Torch was close enough to be hit by a jumping tackle.

Torch fell to the ground, momentarily stunned, falling flat on it's back. The Chikorita jumped on top of it's stomach again, forcing the Magmar to spit out a veil of smoke from it's mouth.

The black gas swirled and covered the air, making it impossible to see either Pokemon from the outside. Zak heard a frantic rustling, and when the smoke had cleared Torch was standing alone looking very weary.

"Torch! Are you okay?" Zak called. Torch nodded and began to walk slowly back towards where Zak was standing. "And we were so close, too! Don't worry pal, you did a great job. Good work!"

Torch smiled, bearing it's teeth proudly.

Zak began to gather up the oran berries he had left when he heard a loud scream ring throughout the forest. Both he and Torch looked up in the direction of the voice.

"That..." Zak stammered uneasily. "That sounded like Whitney!"

He looked over to Torch, who was wearing a clearly worried expression on it's face. Zak pointed the Pokeball towards the Magmar and clicked on the return mechanism.

"Torch, return!"

He frantically clipped the ball onto his belt and dropped the oran berries he had collected into an empty plastic water bottle he had been keeping on him, then immediately dashed towards the source of the screaming.

After a few moments Zak jumped out from the thick shrubbery of Ilex forest and onto the dirt path where they had been camping for the night. He looked around, panting heavily as he emerged from the darker regions of the forest. The tent was still there, but no-one was inside. He stood there for a moment, in the centre of the road, wondering what to do.

'Idiot!' he thought, scolding himself. 'Why did I leave her alone!? What if something happens to her!? It'll be all my fault! No, no, no!'

He heard the scream again; it was closer this time, coming from just off the path.

"Whitney!?" he yelled, desperate for a reply. "Where are you!?"

Another scream was evident, and he hurriedly followed the noise until he came to a small, grassy clearing just off the main route through Ilex. It was lighter here than the rest of the forest, and in the centre of the clearing stood Whitney, trying desperately to escape the grip of a younger boy.

The stranger stood just under five feet tall and had green coloured hair. He was wearing a large cape with bulky-looking boots and highly decorated leather gloves. Whitney's hands had been tightly bound with rope in order to stop her from escaping or attacking her captor.

"Whitney!" Zak shouted, reaching for the handle of his father's sword that was strapped around his chest.

"Zak!" Whitney cried back, tears welling up in her eyes. "Help me!"

"Good to see you, Vangard!" the boy called over, chuckling.

"Who are you!?" Zak screamed back, his anger rising and rising with every passing second. His hand gripped the hilt of his sword tighter, ready to unsheathe it at any second. "Let her go right now!"

"Gladly!" the boy laughed. "It's you I want." He shoved Whitney away, pushing her into the grass just below his feet. "I have no time for such a lowly dog. Besides, she was beginning to get a little too annoying."

"That's enough!" Zak hissed in response. "I asked you who you were!"

"My name is Tanner." the boy replied, adjusting his sunglasses calmly. "I'm here to take something from you. Something my master believes to be very, very valuable."

"And what's that?" Zak enquired, his grip loosening on the sword slightly.

"Oh, I'm not here to trade with you, Vangard." Tanner answered coolly. "I'm here to take that sword. No questions, no answers." He took a red and white Pokeball from inside his cape and threw it into the air. "Go, Pinsir!"

The light from the Pokeball faded to reveal a large, beetle-like Pokemon. It's brown body towered menacingly over the forest clearing and on it's head stood two huge horns, both covered in tiny barbs and spines. The creature's mouth bared two vertical columns of teeth in what looked like a confident grin.

"You're not taking anything today, Tanner!" Zak called over, before launching his own Pokeball into the air. "Pick, I choose you!"

The magnificent form of Zak's Fearow emerged from the light, it's large wings spread out, casting a shadow over the Pinsir standing at the other end of the clearing.

"Alright, Pick! Leer, and then use Fury Attack!" Zak ordered, pointing towards Tanner's own Pokemon.

The large bird screeched it's response, narrowing it's eyes on Pinsir before diving towards the creature and thrusting it's beak in multiple jabs in quick succession.

"Headbutt, now!" Tanner commanded.

Pinsir ground it's feet into the grass below before leaping up and smashing the tips of it's horns into Pick's chest. The Fearow screeched, shocked, before beating it's wings violently and attempting to fly back up into the air to await further instructions.

"Not so fast!" Tanner shouted out again. "Pinsir, jump up and grab that bird with Vicegrip!"

Pinsir obeyed it's master, leaping up towards the Fearow and latching it's horns onto Pick's chest, sending the Flying-type crashing back down to the ground.

"Now use Focus Energy!"

Zak gritted his teeth nervously as he watched Pick desperately try and shake off it's attacker.

"And now to finish it off!" Tanner continued, laughing slightly. "Seismic Toss, now!"

With the Fearow still in it's grip, Pinsir began to whip it's head in a clockwise direction, picking up speed faster and faster until finally releasing it's victim and sending Pick crashing into a nearby tree.

"Pick, return!" Zak pointed the Pokeball towards Pick, causing his Pokemon to return to the sphere in his hand in the form of a soft, red beam of light.

"Well, that was easy." Tanner taunted. "It's a shame you can't live up to your father's reputation."

"I'm not done yet!" Zak growled, reaching towards his belt. He paused for a moment, thinking to himself.

'What do I do?' he thought to himself as everything around him seemed to slow to a halt.

'Pick should've beaten a Bug-type easily! This guy is no ordinary trainer. And why does he want my father's sword? I can't use Tauros, there's no room for him to charge in this forest! Torch is too weak from his battle with that Chikorita and I haven't even trained Ditto yet!'

Zak felt his heart beat rapidly as he considered his two options. He remembered what had happened at the Goldenrod Gym; he remembered how Scizor had completely ignored his commands and was on the verge of a rampage over which Zak would have had no control. Whitney was terrified of it. He never wanted to see her like that again...

'But...' Zak's thoughts formed words in his head again. 'I don't have a choice... Scizor, please, just obey me this once!'

Suddenly Zak whipped out the navy coloured globe from his belt and hurled it to the floor.

"I choose you, Scizor!" he announced as the ball fell towards the moist forest grass.

There was a silent pause before Zak looked up. The Great ball had landed on the floor and opened up, yet nothing had appeared. Zak peered at the ball curiously for a moment, his stomach suddenly filling with dread.

"...Scizor?"

Tanner laughed, holding up another Great ball in his hand.

"Looking for this?" he asked, grinning wildly.

"Scizor!?" Zak was confused. "But how did you...?"

"It's quite simple, really." Tanner explained. "Last night I had my Spinarak sneak into your tent and exchange your Scizor's Great ball with an empty one of my own. Had I known you were going to be this easy to defeat I may well have left it."

"You're bluffing..." Zak gasped.

"Look, do you have any more Pokemon or not, because I'm getting very bored over here." Tanner replied, ignoring Zak.

"Alright, you asked for it!" Zak responded, throwing out another Pokeball before quickly grabbing the empty Great ball that lay idle on the grass. From the light emerged the armoured figure of Nidoqueen, ready to battle.

"Nidoqueen, attack Pinsir with your Ice Beam!"

Nidoqueen roared, stretching out her powerful blue arms as she shot out a concentrated beam of frozen energy directly into Tanner's Pokemon. Pinsir flinched at the impact but stubbornly held it's ground.

"Pinsir, Guillotine now!" Tanner ordered, pointing towards the armour-plated giant.

Without any hesitation, Pinsir charged headfirst at it's target, it's horns ready to ensnare the creature. Nidoqueen narrowed it's eyes, shifting it's feet in preparation.

"Wait for it..." Zak's voice was barely a whisper, but he knew Nidoqueen could hear him, and she knew what she had to do.

The Pinsir was getting closer and closer, horns pointed intimidatingly, until at last Zak called out.

"Now!"

Immediately Nidoqueen brought her arms up to grab the tips of the Pinsir's horns, stopping the creature in it's tracks. The giant beetle struggled to break free, but Nidoqueen's grip was too strong and the beast was forced to hold it's ground.

"Great job, Nidoqueen!" Zak congratulated his Pokemon on it's catch, punching the air in triumph. "You've got it on the run, now use Ice Beam again!"

Nidoqueen nodded and opened it's mouth, a source of pale blue light appearing above it's tongue as the attack began to charge up energy. Tanner's expression changed momentarily to a look of worry.

"Pinsir, break yourself free of that hold!" he demanded. There was no response from Pinsir, save for a few weak pushes against Nidoqueen. "Do it now!"

Before Pinsir could make another attempt at escape Nidoqueen's Ice Beam shot straight into the creature. Nidoqueen quickly released her opponent's horns and allowed the ice beam to fling it's target far behind Tanner and into the shrubbery just beyond the clearing. The boy quickly covered his head and knelt close to the floor in a panic to avoid the falling creature.

"Your Nidoqueen is pretty tough." Tanner admitted, getting to his feet and recalling his Pinsir.

As he spoke he released another Pokeball onto the ground below and within moments a tall bird, standing around five feet tall appeared beside him. It's oddly decorated wings made it look like some kind of strange totem pole, and it's eyes seemed like mysterious pits of darkness that continued for eons.

"'Till we meet again, Zak Vangard!"

"Wait! Tanner!" Zak shouted after the boy as the bird Pokemon swept him into the sky without a moment's notice.

"Give back Scizor!"

He stared up into the forest canopy, feeling useless.

"Come back here!"


	10. A Legend In Whispers

Whitney scowled angrily at Zak as he began to remove the tent from the soft, Ilex grass. Neither of them spoke a word, and the atmosphere was stuffy and uncomfortable as a result.

Eventually, Whitney braved the silence.

"I want an explanation, Zak!" she yelled. "Who are you? Who was that kid? What is going on here!?"

"I didn't ask you to come with me." Zak replied cooly, not taking his eyes off the task at hand.

"That's not the point!" Whitney snapped back. "I have a right to know what I've let myself in for!"

Zak folded the collapsed tent sheet up into Whitney's bag and handed it to her before turning south towards Azalea town and continuing down the forest track.

"It'd be best if you turned back now, before things get worse." Zak called over his shoulder as he walked. "I don't want you getting hurt because of me."

Whitney paused for a moment, backpack in hand, watching as Zak made his way further down the path towards Azalea until he was finally out of view. She stood there in silence for a moment, before slinging her backpack over her shoulder and turning back north towards her home city of Goldenrod.

"Hmph." she sniffed as she went.

It wasn't that Zak wanted Whitney to leave, nor that he thought she was getting in the way. He was angry at himself for putting the girl in danger, and for that reason he refused to allow her to travel with him. Though it may have seemed a harsh way to leave her, Zak believed that it was for the best.

He continued walking, and as he did so, he removed the empty Great ball from his belt, the one which Tanner had swapped for Scizor's, and held it in his palm. He stared at it hard as he walked along the dusty path, the sunlight beating down on him from above.

The forest was warm today, and it was the perfect temperature for a relaxing stroll. As he stared down at the ball in his hand, he wondered what Azalea Town would be like, and what kind of Gym leader awaited his challenge there.

His mind also began to consider the possible reasons Tanner would want his father's sword. Could he have anything to do with Knite, the boy that attacked his home village? What exactly was his father involved in? And where was he now? Hopefully, as he continued on his journey, he would find the answers to all of these questions.

Tanner may have taken Scizor, but he would undoubtedly be back to try and take Zak's father's sword again, and when he returned, Zak was determined to be ready.

Nidoqueen was strong, but it would be unfair to assume that she would be able to hold off all of Tanner's Pokemon by herself. He would have to start training his Pokemon harder than ever if he was to retake Scizor.

Zak sighed and looked up at the trees as he walked, replacing the Great ball on his belt.

It was another three hours before the trees finally began to part and gave way to a grassy clearing, upon which stood a nondescript wooden sign which declared 'Azalea Town - Ilex Forest' in small, solid-black print. Looming over the sign was a small entrance hut, similar to the one Zak had used to enter the city of Goldenrod.

Cautiously trying to cover up his sword, Zak entered the building and walked through the narrow hallway, trying hard not to look suspicious in front of the guard, who gave the boy a casual glance before returning to his newspaper. Zak looked towards the exit of the building, beyond which he could clearly see several other buildings and houses standing.

"Perfect!" Zak exclaimed to nobody in particular as he left the gateway building, his face cheering up a bit, glad to finally be out and away from that forest.

He looked down towards the Pokeballs strapped around his waist.

"I'd better get you guys to the Pokemon Centre. You've had a pretty long journey too..."

With his course of action decided, Zak headed into the town, searching for the nearest Pokemon Centre as he went.

Azalea was a quaint little town, almost a village in terms of it's small size and lack of grandeur. The air was crisp and refreshing, free of pollution and filled with the gentle scent of pine. The small springs dotted in-between cottages had crisp, crystal-clear waters, and the Pokemon of the forest could be seen playfully dashing between trees, leaping out onto the short grass before scurrying away into the thick shrubbery again.

As he walked, Zak recalled Mr. Lunata's words in Ecruteak, remembering that one of his father's former colleagues lived in Azalea. He sighed as he thought of this - whilst Azalea was smaller than most, it would still be like finding a needle in a haystack, and Zak had a feeling that a Watcher of Raikou would not want to be found anyway.

Eventually Zak reached the Azalea Town Pokemon Centre and, in no major hurry, made his way through the automatic doors, following the red carpet up to the main desk, where a beautiful, yet surprisingly familiar figure awaited him.

"Uh..." Zak murmured out loud for a second, forgetting himself.

Nurse Joy smiled at him, looking slightly amused.

"I'm... Beginning to see a pattern develop here..." he sighed, handing over the five Pokeballs on his belt. "I'd like my Pokemon healed, please."

"Right away, sir." Joy replied in her (or rather, what Zak assumed, her sister's) usual happy way.

The nurse placed the five balls on a tray, which she handed to a nearby Chansey. With a happy smile and a squeaky confirmation of it's cargo, the pink humanoid Pokemon dashed off into another room behind the main desk.

His Pokemon handed in, Zak headed towards one of the vacant videophone stalls positioned against the back wall.

"I should probably call home." he told himself, picking up the receiver and leaning his neck over the device as he tapped in the number for his home.

The buttons clicked pleasantly as he punched them in; click, click, click, until the full number was present. With a final look of confirmation on the screen to make sure he hadn't made a mistake, Zak pushed the large button with a green phone icon embossed on it to initiate the call.

The screen faded to grey for a moment as the earpiece hissed out a dialing tone, followed by a long ringing noise interspersed by pauses. Eventually the screen flickered to life once more, and Zak saw his stepmother's face appear before his eyes.

"Uh... Hey, Mom." he stammered at first. "How are you?"

A look of joy spread over his mother's face as she saw her stepson on the videophone screen. She was quite pretty, with a somewhat rounded face and large, shining brown eyes that exuded a feeling of calm and innocence. Her hair was dark brown and fashioned into two large pigtails on either side of her head, though she was quite short at just five feet and four inches tall.

"Zak!" she exclaimed in response. "How are you!? Where are you now? Have you found your father yet?"

"Uh, no, not exactly..." Zak began, trying to remember all the questions being thrown at him before figuring out the answers. "I'm good, I'm in Azalea Town right now. I've already earned two Pokemon Gym badges! How are things back home?"

"Oh, Zak, that's great!" his mother replied, grinning. "Your Dad will be so proud! Things are going good here, the rebuilding process is taking a while, mostly because it takes so long to ship the materials we need out here. The kitchen's almost redone though. Have you caught a Pikachu yet? I'd just love to see one of those for real!"

"No, not yet, Mom." Zak laughed. "I've caught a couple of new Pokemon; I'm glad the re-building is going well. How's Sora?"

"Oh, your sister's doing fine. She's a little bored without you or Nidoqueen to bother, but she seems to be getting on with the neighbour's son okay, so that's good."

"Hey, Mom..." Zak muttered, a tone of seriousness now entering his voice. "Would it be okay if I..." his mother peered closer to the video screen as he spoke. "...If I stayed in Johto for a while longer? There are... Things that I feel I have to do here. Before I come home, I mean." His mother smiled at this before answering.

"Son, that's perfectly okay! You stay as long as you need to. The villagers miss your work, and I wish I could see you, but if you feel you need to stay, then you have our blessing. Just one condition, okay?"

"Hm?" Zak asked, now finding himself moving closer to the screen involuntarily.

"Make sure to call us!" his mother said before grinning again. Zak chuckled, leaning back in his chair.

"Will do, Mom. Well, talk to you later." he said his goodbyes before hanging up the phone, repositioning the device back onto it's hook as the screen returned to it's original, blank state.

It was just as he put the phone down when he began to overhear a heated conversation taking place behind him. Glancing into the reflection of the metal change box in the lower right-hand corner of the videophone, he saw a boy and a girl, both looking to be about the age of fifteen.

The boy had pale blue hair and a lime-green headband covering his forehead. He was also wearing a plain, black hoody with pale green pants that were covered in numerous small tears and grass stains. The girl standing next to him was slightly taller, standing around five feet and six inches in height, with long, flowing red hair fashioned into a lengthy ponytail which trailed down her back. She wore a black t-shirt with the official Johto Pokemon League symbol proudly displayed in white on the left breast, and to cover her legs she wore dark green trousers with an army camouflage pattern.

Zak sat in silence for a moment, listening in.

"Bugsy just left this morning to see if he could help!" the boy explained, seeming to be both worried and excited in equal amounts. "If a leader has to leave his Gym to investigate, something's gotta be wrong!"

The girl chuckled at this.

"Look, Alex, you're way too jumpy about this." she responded cooly. "Blackrock is just a legend, it's probably just some lame trainer trying to make a name for himself or scare gullible villagers like you."

Alex growled at this.

"I'm not gullible!" he insisted, his anger rising. "Don't you remember what happened with Team Rocket here a few months ago!? Maybe they're still around causing trouble!"

The girl's eyes lit up at this prospect.

"Team Rocket, you say?" she repeated, apparently coming to life. "If that's the case, and we go and beat them, we'll be town heroes!" She leaned in closer and began to whisper something.

"What are you thinking, Tori!?" Alex cried, drawing the attention of a few curious trainer faces from around the room. The two stood in silence for a minute, somewhat embarrassed, before the rest of the room went back to their own conversations and trading card battles.

"...We could get in real big trouble!"

"Hey," Zak called over in greeting as he approached the two trainers. "Did I hear that right? The Gym leader is out of town?"

Alex stuttered before answering, as though he had just been caught in the headlights.

"Yeah..." he mumbled under his breath. "But it's no big deal! Nothing special... What's it to you, anyway?"

"I'm Zak," Zak replied, smiling warmly. "I came to Azalea to battle the Gym leader, but if he's out I guess I'm out of luck." he paused before continuing subtly. "...Unless you know where he went..."

"Uh, no, I..." Alex began, before receiving a nudge in the ribs from the girl beside him.

"Aww, come on, Alex, it'll be fun!" she laughed. "We'll be heroes!" she turned to face Zak before introducing herself, extending her hand. "My name's Tori, and this is Alex. Nice to meet you!"

Zak took her hand firmly, surprised by her strong grip. He nodded to Alex, who seemed a bit more reluctant than his female colleague.

"So do you know where he went?" Zak asked, trying to get back on subject.

"Bugsy?" Tori confirmed the Gym leader's name. "He's at Union Cave, right Alex?"

She gave her friend a wink as she spoke, causing him to flush a light red.

"Maybe we should talk about it outside..." Alex suggested. Zak and Tori both nodded their approval and the two local trainers began to head towards the exit.

"I'll meet you outside." Zak explained, making his way over to the front desk. "I've just gotta grab my Pokemon first." The other two exited via the automatic doors and perched themselves on a rock just outside the building.

After a few minutes Zak appeared outside. Nurse Joy had explained to him that Nidoqueen, Pick and Torch required more time to recuperate, so he was forced to just take Ditto and Tauros for now.

He couldn't afford to miss out on a chance to meet with the infamous Team Rocket, so time was of the essence. Perhaps they held a clue regarding his father's whereabouts... He would just have to wait and find out. With two other trainers beside him, he wasn't too worried about leaving three of his Pokemon at the Pokemon Centre. At least there he knew they would be in good hands for the time-being.

As the three walked through the village, past the old well and along the short route thirty-three, Tori explained all about Bugsy, the bug Pokemon Gym leader of Azalea town, and described her own Pokemon journey.

It turned out that Alex was a fledgling Pokemon trainer who was an apprentice to the local woodcutter. Alex told Zak about his master, and of Kurt, the resident Pokeball creator. He explained that Kurt's son currently worked for Silph Co.: a large and powerful organisation that studied and produced numerous Pokemon-related items, such as the famed 'Master Ball'. It was also the very same corporation that Zak's father officially worked for.

Bugsy, Kurt and the woodsman had all gone to Union Cave in order to confront 'Blackrock', who, according to local folklore, was a large, black-coloured Onix which guarded Union Cave from outsiders. Recently hikers and travelers had complained about sudden rock-slides and strange, frightening roars echoing throughout the caverns of the underground route.

"So nobody's ever actually seen Blackrock?" Zak asked, curious about whether or not this legend was true.

"Of course not!" Tori laughed, stretching her arms around behind her head lazily. "Blackrock's just a local fairy-tale that's been around since before I was even born!"

"It's obviously Team Rocket causing trouble again!" Alex chimed in. "They were here a few months ago, stealing Slowpoke and selling their tails on the black market!"

Zak pondered this for a moment. He'd heard of Slowpoke before, but why anyone would want one of their tails was beyond him. Whatever the reason, this Team Rocket sounded ruthless and uncaring about whether or not they hurt Pokemon. And that was something Zak didn't like the sound of; something that both Knite and Tanner were probably a part of.

Finally the three of them made it to the entrance to Union Cave. The doorway was small and narrow, but possible for a human to get through without too much difficulty. Peering inside, the shadows completely blotted out any sources of light and the air seemed horribly cold.

"It's way too dark to see anything!" Alex complained, backing away from the entrance. "Maybe we should just go back and leave it to Bugsy..."

"No way!" Tori stubbornly insisted. "Just leave it to me! Go, Elekid!"

Tori threw down a Pokeball onto the the grass, and from the light appeared a small, humanoid Pokemon, standing around two feet tall and covered with black stripes across it's bright yellow body.

"Elekid, we need you to use Flash and light up that cave!" Tori commanded.

Elekid nodded, fearlessly jumping through the entrance. There was a long pause, and then a sudden spark of bright energy flowed out from the tunnel.

Zak peered into the cave and there, standing proudly, was Elekid, bright electricity flickering between it's tall, rounded ears.

"You guys ready?" Tori called behind her as she entered. Alex and Zak looked at each other for a moment.

"After you..." Alex offered.

Zak cautiously entered the cavern, followed closely by Alex. As the three of them walked along the chilly pathways, a shiver ran down Zak's spine.

'I'm sure glad Whitney isn't with me this time...' he thought to himself. 'She'd hate this...'


	11. Union Cave! Legend Of Blackrock!

Zubats could be seen hanging from the darkened ceiling of Union Cave as Zak, Alex and Tori made their way through the natural corridors far beneath them. A few would occasionally swoop down to disturb the travelers, but a brief display of Elekid's powerful Thundershock usually sent them flying back from whence they came.

"Ugh," Tori complained loudly, her thoughts echoing all around them. "Zubats are so annoying."

Zak said nothing, instead just eying the empty Great ball that was clipped to his belt. Had he not been feeling so vulnerable without Scizor, or indeed, any of his higher level Pokemon, he would have been tempted to try and catch one.

He was also quite looking forward to some kind of excitement; the three of them had been wandering around in this cave for a good hour and everything looked the same to him. During their whole time traveling through, however, they had not seen a single wandering trainer pass them by.

"Do you even have any idea where we're going, Tori?" Alex asked, a hint of worry evident in his voice. He was walking behind the other two, nervously glancing at the walls every so often.

"I figured Bugsy would only bother going down into the deepest part of the cave," Tori explained her plan idly. "so that's where we're going!"

Alex sighed at this.

"Speaking of which..." Tori continued, stopping in her tracks and pointing in front of her. "Here it is!"

Zak's eyes traced Tori's finger to the direction she was aiming at. There was a long stretch of water blocking the next land mass for about three yards, behind which was a hole etched into the ground with the head of a ladder leaning against it's entrance. On either side of the underground lake stood steep slabs of rock and dirt - climbing them seemed almost impossible without the right gear.

"Guess we're swimming, then." Zak murmered, heading towards the edge of the pool.

"No way, I can handle this!" Tori insisted. "Stand back, Zak."

She smiled knowingly, adjusting her hair a little before throwing down a Pokeball into the water.

"Come on out, Tentacruel!"

As she spoke, the ball released, leaving in it's place a giant octopus-like creature with pale blue 'armour' covering a softer, black skin. It stood at just under five feet tall and groaned imposingly. Tori jumped onto it's head, extending her hand to help Zak and Alex on.

"Tentacruel can get us there no problem." Tori laughed, patting Tentacruel's head. "Alright Tentacruel - Surf us across this pool!"

Tentacruel silently obeyed, sending the trio speeding across and to the other side of the water within seconds. The three trainers let themselves off, and after Tori had thanked her Pokemon, returning it to the Pokeball, all of them went to check on the hole and the ladder that lay beside it.

"So you think Bugsy will be down there?" Zak's voice held a slight hint of skepticism as he spoke. Tori grinned.

"Only one way to find out, right?" she had barely finished speaking before she grabbed the side of the ladder and began to slide down to the floor beneath them.

"Is she always like this...?" Zak questioned, turning to Alex, who sighed in response.

"Pretty much, yeah..."

* * *

The lower level of Union Cave was even darker than above, and Elekid's electricity seemed to struggle in it's attempts to light their way. The air felt colder here, and the path was so faint that this part of the cave was obviously used very rarely, or hardly even known about.

After a few minutes of walking the trio were stopped in their tracks by a distant roar which echoed through the darkness. Tori reached back and gripped Alex's shirt instinctively as it passed them. The three stopped for a moment in silence, waiting for somebody else to respond first.

"Was that..." Alex began shakily. "Blackrock...?"

"I think I can see light up ahead..." Zak observed, moving slowly towards the faint source.

"Alright!" Tori cried, leaping ahead of Zak. "Fame and glory here we come!" she turned to face Elekid as she spoke. "Elekid, let's go!"

Before Zak or Alex could say anything the trainer and her Pokemon were dashing down the cavern without a second thought. Zak quickly rushed after her, prompting Alex to do the same before either of them were left completely in the dark.

Tori stopped in her tracks as a trail of rocks smashed down just inches from her feet. Dust and rubble blasted into her face, and she shielded her eyes from any potential impact. Elekid was knocked back, but quickly jumped back to it's feet and climbed the debris in order to get a better view of what had just happened.

It wasn't long before Zak and Alex had caught up, the roars and sounds of battle much louder from this position. Zak climbed up alongside Elekid, where they both admired a series of flashing lights and cries. It was now evident that a Pokemon battle was taking place, but between who Zak couldn't be sure, and the Pokemon involved were moving so fast that he wasn't certain of what they were, either.

After a few minutes of trying to catch a glimpse of these two battlers, Alex and Tori climbed up to join them.

"What's going on?" Tori asked, confused.

"I think it's some kind of battle," Zak explained, still trying to lock his eyes onto the Pokemon. "but they're going so fast, I can't tell what's what."

Another cluster of boulders plummeted to the ground in front of the team, and the earth began to shake violently, eventually losing it's intensity and returning to normal. Zak, Alex and Tori all closed their eyes as the rubble crumbled all around them, and when the quake was over, one Pokemon stood above the entrance to a newly formed tunnel in the cave floor.

Zak stared at the creature for a moment as it's wings slowly came to a stop. It stood tall at about five feet high, with a pale green fur-like substance covering it and two long arms which were twisted into sharp, powerful blades. Zak immediately recognised it as a Scyther, and in turn felt a lurch in his stomach thinking about it's evolved form, Scizor.

The creature seemed to be panting heavily, exhausted from the previous battle. It stared down into the dark abyss of the tunnel, a determined look in it's eyes.

"Alright!" Alex shouted, a relieved look spreading across his face as he jumped up and headed towards the creature. "It's Bugsy's Scyther! We're safe!"

Tori followed suit, reminding everyone confidently that it was her brilliant sense of direction that had led them here. She returned her Elekid to the Pokeball in her hands as another light source appeared from just behind one of the stalagmites lining the corners of the large, vacuous room.

There, holding a small oil lamp, was the Gym leader Bugsy. With long, raggedy purple hair and wearing a heavy duty green jacket, the Azalea Town Gym badge proudly displayed on his left breast, there was no mistaking his position as a powerful trainer in the Johto League, despite his obviously youthful appearance and small stature, which had surprised Zak.

Behind him stood two men, their presence too a formidable sight. Kurt, on Bugsy's left, had straight white-grey hair down to his neck and wore what looked like a blue martial arts uniform. The woodcutter, on his right, possessed short black hair tied back behind an orange headband and was wearing old woodcutting clothes which clearly hadn't been washed in quite a while.

"Alex!" the woodcutter barked as the three approached them. "What are you kids doing down here, it's dangerous!"

"Don't be mad, sir!" Tori insisted in her usual, bubbly way. "This is Zak, and he's here to challenge Bugsy to a Pokemon battle."

"I'm sorry," Bugsy began, interrupting Tori's introductions and pushing past them to the tunnel where Scyther stood. "but I'm too busy to battle. We're going to have to hurry if we're to follow Blackrock."

As he spoke the Gym leader climbed onto Scyther's back and held on tightly.

"Let's go, Scyther."

With a quick flicker of it's wings, Scyther was already speeding down through the tunnel, giving chase to whatever had escaped down there.

"We'd better get you kids home," Kurt announced, resting his arm around Tori's shoulder and leading her towards the exit. "Bugsy can handle the rest."

"Why was that Scyther battling, sir?" Zak questioned, somewhat suspicious of what was going on. "And what with?"

"With Blackrock, of course!" the woodcutter explained, looking down into the pitch black tunnel where Bugsy had just descended. "It seems our legendary Onix friend is more than a little angry at something. At what we don't know..."

"Yes," Kurt agreed, nodding his head knowingly. "as soon as we found it it immediately began attacking us and tried to destroy the cave roof. That's when Bugsy called out his Scyther and then you kids came along."

"Bugsy insists Blackrock isn't to blame for it's actions," the woodcutter added, sighing slightly. "but I don't know how anyone could explain it's behaviour as anything other than dangerous. I hope he knows what he's doing. ...Hm?"

The woodcutter paused for a moment, his eyes catching a glimpse of the hilt of Zak's sword as he spoke. Zak noticed the direction of his gaze and instinctively took a step back, edging closer to the tunnel entrance.

"So Blackrock is real?" Tori confirmed with Kurt excitedly. She turned to Alex, grinning wildly. "Wait 'till all the trainers back at the Pokemon Centre hear about this!" Her ideas were cut short by Kurt's stern expression.

"You will not be telling anyone about this," Kurt said blankly, his tone clearly not to be ignored. "the last thing Blackrock needs is trainers from all over Johto trying to catch it." He turned round to face the woodcutter and Zak. "Let's go. Bugsy can handle things here."

"Right." the woodcutter replied. "You go on ahead, we'll catch up in a second."

Zak glared at the man who towered above him but did not move. After Alex, Kurt and Tori were out of sight, the woodcutter spoke up again.

"That's quite a sword you have there."

"You've only seen the hilt." Zak replied, his fist clenching beside his leg, refusing to trust anyone who showed an interest in what Tanner had attempted to steal mere hours before. The woodcutter smiled at his response.

"Do you know how to use it?" he continued, ignoring Zak.

"Let's find out, shall we?" Zak answered coldly, drawing the sword from it's sheath and clasping both hands over the hilt. It felt a lot heavier outside it's casing and Zak's feet found themselves naturally pressing deeper into the ground in an attempt to stabilise himself.

He continued to glare at the woodcutter, determined not to show any signs of weakness or self-doubt. Even in the shadowy darkness of Union Cave, the blade of the sword seemed to glow a faint silver.

"We shall!" the woodcutter laughed, jumping back and grabbing the small hunting dagger that hung by his side.

The blade was large and intimidatingly curved, rising about eight inches from the handle and jutting out to the front for another five. As the two stood there, facing off, the woodcutter admired the blade of Zak's sword.

'I knew it!' he thought to himself, grinning slyly.

There was a long pause and distant roars could be heard through the tunnel behind them. Eventually the woodcutter spoke up again, breaking the uneasy silence.

"What are you waiting for? I'm right here."

Zak growled and lunged forward, pushing the sword out, then pulling it back in before it hit anything. The weight was incredible - how could anyone fight with one of these?

"Come on," the man chuckled. "you don't have to feint with me; I can take it."

Zak clutched the sword tighter and dashed towards his opponent. The blade weighing him down, he struck up and to the left, the woodcutter dodging easily. In anger, Zak slashed straight down then forward and up, both evaded with ease.

Zak yelled out, charging straight towards the enemy and jabbing straight for his chest. He felt a sudden surge of power and weight hitting into his hands and up through his arms, the woodcutter parrying the last blow with his knife, pushing back with sturdy force and precision until eventually Zak was pushed behind and off his feet and his sword was falling down into the tunnel with him.

Before Zak knew it the woodcutter was standing above him, his knife pointed directly beneath Zak's chin. Their eyes met, and a tense silence filled the cavern walls.

"I'll take that as a no, shall I?" the older man laughed, putting away the knife and offering Zak a hand.

Zak gritted his teeth and climbed to his feet, ignoring the woodcutter's offer, and reached for his sword. He stared at the fine, pale-blue blade for a moment, admiring the intricate carvings as he thought about his father and what he would have done in this situation.

Suddenly, he felt a gentle hand reach out and touch his shoulder.

"Hey, don't worry." the woodcutter explained, smiling. Zak sheathed the sword and turned to face his adversary. "You gave it your all. You've definitely got potential."

"Potential?" Zak repeated, looking into the woodcutter's eyes.

"That's right." the man chuckled, his warm smile somehow comforting to the youngster. "You're no ordinary tourist, are you Zak?"

"I..." Zak stammered, his voice faltering.

"Scyther! No!" their conversation was interrupted by the fading echoes of Bugsy's scream further down the tunnel.

There was a loud rumbling and then a dead silence surrounded them. Zak hurriedly replaced the sword by his side and began to dash through the tunnel, following the source of the echoes.

The woodcutter paused, watching Zak for a moment before following swiftly.


	12. A New Foe Appears! Zak and Bugsy Ally?

After a good few minutes of running through the large, rock-strewn tunnel as fast as he could, Zak finally made it to the other side, with the woodcutter not far behind him. Zak gasped for breath, his legs shaking.

He stared towards the mouth of the tunnel, which was just a short climb up into a large, vacuous cavern. Though he couldn't see much of this new-found room, he could hear loud echoes of rushing water coming from it.

As Zak stood there, trying to regain his composure, the woodcutter stepped forward and, with a nimble agility defying his rugged appearance, quickly clambered up into the room beyond. Zak hurriedly followed, imitating the older man's route until he was standing side by side with the woodcutter, staring out over a huge, rocky clearing.

The scene was entirely alien to Zak, having never set foot in a building so wide, let alone a cave. The entire room itself covered roughly one hundred square feet, and looked almost like a miniature nature reserve. Behind the tunnel entrance where the two men stood and all around were large walls of solid rock, identical to the other parts of Union Cave. The ceiling rose a good sixty feet into the air, upon which loomed a gigantic set of stalagmites, all rough and carved by years of natural weathering, each jutting down between two and seven feet into the room.

To their far left was another large entrance, just a few feet below the ceiling itself. From this opening poured a huge, fast-flowing waterfall which sent waves crashing into the ten foot wide river below and propelled them further downstream, into another opening at the opposite end of the cavern.

Several natural pillars of rock were dotted across the cave and on the far land mass, just beyond the river, towered a large, metallic contraption which hummed and whirred in a rhythmic fashion.

Zak scanned the area, eager to discover what had become of Bugsy and the beast that he had been chasing, but he did not have to look for long. Just along the edge of the river, taking cover in the form of a nearby rock pillar, was Bugsy. He was kneeling beside his injured Pokemon, Scyther, and had not yet noticed the two men who had just entered the room.

Quickly and without a moment's hesitation, both Zak and the woodcutter rushed down the hill to speak with the Azalea town Gym leader.

"Bugsy!" the woodcutter called as he made his way over and knelt beside Scyther. Zak stayed on his feet, his eyes drawn to the large machine which stood roughly fifteen feet tall and ten feet wide, a small radar dish rotating on it's roof. "What happened?"

"See for yourself..." Bugsy mumbled, staring down at Scyther, whose eyes were open, staring up at the ceiling, it's breathing slow and weak.

"And Blackrock?" the older man continued.

Bugsy pointed just beyond the river, where what Zak had originally thought as being just a pile of rocks, lay a large, black-coloured Onix, the rock snake Pokemon, curled up and breathing slowly, it's eyes closed and it's body covered in cuts and markings. It was only then that Zak noticed something just below Blackrock's head - a small, momentary glint of metal.

"Scyther's wing is hurt." Bugsy said quietly, his voice calm but his body shaking. "Badly."

Zak peered over the mantis Pokemon, checking on it's injury. The right wing was cut on it's upper joint and appeared to be lying at an awkward angle. Scyther winced, it's eyes staring up at Zak. Zak looked away, the Pokemon's eyes reminding him of his father's Scizor.

"Bugsy," Zak began, wanting to speak up and break the silence. "what is that machine over there?"

Bugsy followed the route of Zak's pointing finger towards the large object standing against the far wall of the cave. The machine continued to hum and whir, the small dish spinning in a clockwise direction, it's central spire pointed directly towards the ceiling at an exact forty five degree angle.

"I'd like to know that too, Zak." Bugsy sighed. "But it seems to have a strange effect on Blackrock."

"On Blackrock?" the woodcutter spoke up again, casting his gaze on the metal monstrosity.

"Yes," Bugsy explained, taking a red and white sphere in his hands and recalling Scyther into the safety of it's Pokeball as he spoke, getting to his feet.

"Blackrock had Scyther cornered, but as soon as Blackrock came within throwing distance of that machine, it was as if it was paralysed. Unfortunately, Blackrock's fall sent one of those stalagmites flying into Scyther's wing."

The boy pointed towards a large, broken piece of spiked rock which lay idly on it's side just a few feet away. Zak stared at the giant rock formation for a moment, saying nothing, until suddenly and without warning, he made his way towards the injured form of Blackrock.

"Zak, wait!" the woodcutter yelled out, but Zak ignored the voice and began to wade through the shallow depths of the fast-flowing river, climbing over to where Blackrock lay.

"Dalton," Bugsy muttered simply, getting to his feet. "I thought Kurt had taken the others home?"

The voices of the two local men began to fade away as the heavy, low-pitched breathing of Blackrock began to block out all other noise around Zak, including the constant whirring of the large machine, now mere feet away from where Zak knelt.

The Onix's eyes suddenly opened as the creature felt Zak's human hand brush across it's polished surface. Zak paused for a moment, his eyes meeting Blackrock's, both pairs containing a hint of nerves, yet at the same time filled with a serene calm. Zak looked away for a moment, again noticing the metal glint he had seen earlier from afar. Blackrock continued to watch the trainer with a mild curiosity as he made his way closer to the source of the shine, just beneath the Onix's head.

"What the...?" Zak stammered underneath his breath, amazed and somewhat confused by the contraption that he had found clamped around the large Rock-type Pokemon's neck.

It was a large, metallic band, about half a foot in width and wrapping around the entirety of the Onix's neck. On it were many large patterns and textures across which a faint spark of blue electricity would appear at random intervals, causing the band to glow slightly. Had it not been for this occasional lighting the band would have been almost completely invisible, hidden away perfectly in the large crevasses which connected each part of the Pokemon's boulder-like body.

"Is this what's been hurting you, Blackrock?" Zak asked the creature gently. Blackrock simply continued to stare at the human, breathing heavily.

"Hey, guys?" Zak called out, waving his arm towards Bugsy and the woodcutter, who were locked deep in conversation. "I think I've found something!"

Dalton and Bugsy quickly made their way across the river to where Zak was kneeling and inspected the device that Zak had found. Blackrock snorted, feeling uncomfortable in the presence of so many humans, but was too weak to move - it was almost as if the metal band was sapping more of the Pokemon's energy away with every passing second.

"Easy now, Blackrock," Bugsy said, calmly placing a hand against Blackrock's neck. "we're friends." He stared at the device clamped around the Pokemon for a moment, then got to his feet, turning to the woodcutter.

"Dalton, can you use your hunting knife to get this off without hurting Blackrock?"

"I..." Dalton muttered, looking down at the blade that was fastened tightly to his belt. "I can try."

"Please do." Bugsy insisted, nodding his approval. His eyes glanced over to Zak, who stared back at the young Gym leader for a second before Bugsy spoke up once more. "You should be heading back now," he explained. "Dalton and I can handle things from here."

"I'd rather-" Zak began, before his voice was cut off by the loud sound of heavy metal crashing onto the rocky floor.

The three of them gazed towards the huge machine where two people - a man and a woman - now stood. They were dressed in strange, figure-hugging black uniforms with a red "R" emblazoned on the front, and contrasting white boots and gloves.

They were clearly Pokemon trainers, as Zak could quite easily make out the Pokeballs hanging from the dark belts wrapped around their waists. On the floor beside them lay what looked like an oversized manhole cover, and just behind them the inside of the large, humming contraption could be seen, where two seats were installed back-to-back, facing several computer monitors set into the walls.

The male trainer, on Zak's left, possessed short, green hair and deep, auburn eyes. The female, on the right, had much longer, golden-blonde hair which reached behind her and down to her midriff in two long pigtails, and her eyes were a lavender shade. The two of them chuckled loudly, identical smiles crossing each other's lips.

"Who are you two?" Bugsy called over suspiciously, readying a Pokeball in his right hand just incase.

"We're just two trainers who recommend that you should prepare for trouble!" the woman shouted back, a hint of laughter still evident in her voice.

"And we suggest that you do it on the double!" the man agreed. Both strangers turned to face the three and the fallen Onix that lay beside them.

"Now here's our mission, so you'd better listen!" both of them declared in unison.

"To infect the world with devastation!" the woman began, striking a pose, her hands on her hips as she turned dramatically to the side, keeping her eyes locked on the three opposite, who were staring at her and her companion in bewildered silence.

"To blight all peoples in every nation!" the man continued, mirroring his partner's pose and grinning proudly.

"To denounce the goodness of truth and love!" the female exclaimed, again turning to face Zak and the others by bending over slightly, her arms stretched wide apart, as if she were posing for a magazine's cover shoot.

"To extend our wrath to the stars above!" her colleague announced, once again mirroring her pose.

"Cassidy!" the woman laughed.

"Butch!" the man responded.

"We're Team Rocket, circling Earth all day and night!" Cassidy explained, standing upright again.

"Surrender to us now, or you will surely lose the fight!" Butch finished, returning to face the wall on Zak's right, standing back-to-back with Cassidy as their rhyme finally came to an end.

The only sound that could be heard was the heavy breathing of Blackrock, whose eyes were now closed. The Pokemon appeared to be asleep, clearly exhausted from the strain of the band wrapped tightly around it's neck. Then again, perhaps it was Butch and Cassidy's rhyming that had put the creature to sleep, Zak mused.

A few seconds uncomfortably passed, before Dalton, the woodcutter, spoke up, his face still wearing a confused expression.

"So you're from that Team Rocket?" he questioned, looking the two of them over with slight disdain. "Cassidy... And Bub..."

The green-haired man's face twisted in anger, his eyes bulging slightly as he bit his lip, before bursting out his annoyance in words.

"The name is Butch!" he yelled, shaking his fist in the air. "Didn't you listen!? I said it as clear as day - Butch!!"

"And why are you here?" Bugsy asked, ignoring Butch's complaints.

"We're out doing a little field research, if you must know." Cassidy replied calmly. "Being Elite Team Rocket Agents can be a tough life. But to make it easy on you three, I suggest you leave here right now, if you have any idea what's good for you."

"And don't even think about touching our shiny new Pokemon over there." Butch chimed in, pointing towards Blackrock. "It makes a real nice lab rat, you know." Bugsy gritted his teeth upon hearing these words.

"As Azalea town's Gym leader I can't allow you crooks to get away with this!" the young leader announced, hurling a Pokeball into the air in front of him, his words and mannerism belying his true age. "Beedrill, go!"

From the glittering light of Bugsy's Pokeball emerged the shape of a large Bug-type Pokemon. It's translucent wings beat at an incredibly fast rate and it's yellow and black striped body possessed two arms ending in impressive stingers. It buzzed confidently, eyes glaring at the two Team Rocket agents standing opposite it's trainer.

"Oh, please." Cassidy laughed, tossing out a Pokeball of her own. "A Gym leader that uses Bug-type Pokemon? How pathetic."

Cassidy's Pokeball split open in mid-air, sending out a small, but menacing Pokemon which stood on all fours and leered at the Beedrill hovering above. It's body was midnight black and it had several bone-like protrusions covering it's fur like a kind of armour. Baring it's sharp fangs, the Houndour barked angrily at it's opponent.

"Leave this to me, Butch," Cassidy chuckled, holding her arm out in order to stop her partner from releasing his own Pokemon onto the battlefield. "it'll be a walk in the park."

"Bug Pokemon may be weak at first," Bugsy hissed in anger. "but when they're trained well they can battle with even the strongest dragons!"

"Your overgrown worm doesn't exactly frighten me, little boy," Cassidy boasted, her hands placed confidently on her hips. "and since bugs are weak against fire, you don't stand a chance. So..." She looked down to her Pokemon, still stamping it's feet and growling angrily at Bugsy's Beedrill. "Houndour, use Flamethrower, now!"

The small dog Pokemon barked in agreement with it's master, spewing out a torrent of intense flames which shot straight towards the giant wasp.

"Beedrill, Agility now!" Bugsy commanded in swift response to the attack. Beedrill began to rapidly beat it's wings as fast as it could and rose up towards the cave's ceilings, narrowly avoiding the stream of fire which continued to soar through the air. "Now dive down and use Twinneedle!"

Beedrill silently obeyed it's trainer's command and swooped down towards the enemy below, it's stingers bared in anticipation. Houndour continued to growl loudly, it's confidence easy for all to see.

"Houndour, jump back, then use Bite attack on that little insect!" Cassidy ordered.

Houndour immediately obeyed, it's front legs propelling it from the cavern floor, only to have it's hind legs spring it back towards the Beedrill as it landed, it's two stingers scraping against the rocky land. Houndour, fangs covered in saliva, bit deeply into the Bug-type's upper body, causing Beedrill to flinch in pain. Bugsy winced as the move hit.

"Beedrill, use your Supersonic attack, now!" Bugsy cried, a hint of desperation in his voice - he hated to see any of his Pokemon in pain.

Beedrill nodded weakly, then flew up as high as it could without danger of touching any of the sharp, rocky protrusions towering down from the cavern's ceiling.

As soon as it was in position, the Pokemon began to beat it's wings furiously, emitting a peculiar, high-pitched sound which echoed throughout the cave, hypnotically varying in pitch and intensity as it went. Even Zak began to feel somewhat woozy, despite being so far away from the source of the noise.

Houndour's eyes began to droop as it clung to it's victim, slowly loosening it's grip until eventually it fell and plummeted to the jagged surface below, much to Cassidy's horror.

"Houndour, no!" the Team Rocket agent yelled as she watched her Pokemon struggle back to it's feet.

"Now use Twinneedle again, Beedrill!" Bugsy commanded, pointing directly at Houndour's shaky form. Beedrill nodded, then once again dived down, ready to strike at it's target.

"Not so fast!" Cassidy's partner, Butch, interrupted, throwing down his own Pokeball. "Hitmontop, use Rapid Spin!"

From the Pokeball's white light emerged the short, humanoid shape of Hitmontop, a rugged-looking Pokemon of the Fighting variety. It possessed short but flexible arms and legs and had a small horn on the top of it's head and inquisitive black eyes.

Hitmontop flew down towards the ground, pushing itself away with it's two arms and allowing it's entire body to spin at an immense speed, colliding straight into the Beedrill that was in mid-dive. Beedrill, unable to react to this new assailant, was sent crashing into Blackrock, hissing in anger.

Quietly and showing no signs of worry, Hitmontop returned to the area where Cassidy's Houndour stood, standing upside-down and spinning idly on the horn of it's head. It's eyes flashed, and it seemed to grin as it saw Zak's shocked stare.

"Two against one isn't fair!" Zak growled, whipping out his one and only Pokeball from his belt and, ignoring Bugsy's protests, threw it to the ground, releasing the pink, irregular form of Ditto into the cavern, opposite Team Rocket's Pokemon.

"Stupid kid!" Butch laughed. "Team Rocket don't have to play by the rules, and you're about to learn that the hard way. Hitmontop, use Rolling Kick on that little squirt!"

"Houndour, follow up on that Beedrill with Ember!" Cassidy seconded. Both of Team Rocket's Pokemon barked in agreement and threw themselves at their targets - Houndour spitting out a trail of tiny flames over Bugsy's Beedrill; Hitmontop spinning towards Zak's Ditto and readying it's leg.

"Beedrill, use Agility!" Bugsy insisted. Beedrill immediately obeyed it's master, beating it's wings and flying to the cave ceiling in a matter of seconds.

"Ditto, dodge that kick!" Zak called over to his Pokemon, which appeared to be staring at Hitmontop's approaching foot with a rather curious look on it's face. "Ditto?"

Before Zak could reiterate the order to his Pokemon, Ditto felt the savage kick of Hitmontop's attack slam into the side of it's face, sending the small, pink Pokemon careening into the riverbed with a splash.

"Ditto, no!" Zak looked on in horror as the river's fast-paced current swept Ditto towards the cavern's exit. Before anyone had a chance to react, Zak dashed along the side of the river, his only thoughts being the welfare of his Pokemon.

Zak ran and ran, always keeping Ditto within his sights no matter how quickly the water carried it away from him. The sounds of the battle which continued behind him no longer bothered him; all he cared about was catching Ditto before it was too late.

The two of them were both nearing the exit now - a short but wide opening in the cave wall, too small for a large human to get through, but Zak anticipated that it wouldn't bother him too much. He hadn't fully thought his plan of action through, but there was no time to waste and all that really mattered was getting Ditto back safely.

Disregarding everything else, Zak dived forwards and into the shallow river, accompanied by a large splash which soaked the nearby cavern floor. He felt his arms wrap around the timid form of Ditto, and would have breathed a sigh of relief if it weren't for the constant barrage of sharp rocks and stones on the riverbed, cutting and tearing into his shirt and skin. He closed his eyes, pulling Ditto closer to him, before he heard a loud, constant roar.

Swallowing nervously, Zak opened his eyes just as he entered the opening into the next cavern, only to be thrown from the river and down towards the gravel floor by the powerful force of a waterfall. Instinctively he curled up into a ball, holding Ditto tightly and bracing himself for impact.

Zak had been expecting a loud crack of bones, or at least a heavy sounding thud as he hit the floor. What he didn't expect was a loud splash and the feeling of ice cold spring water covering his body. Tentatively, Zak loosened his grip on Ditto and opened his eyes.

The water was the purest and cleanest he'd ever felt, though that was in part due to how shockingly cold it was. He shivered, then noticed something out of the corner of his eye.

All around him were small, light-blue Pokemon swimming through the lake and going about their own business, oblivious to the newcomer. Zak admired them for a moment, their unusual elliptical shape and large, electric yellow antennae glowing brightly. They each had small arms and tiny feet, but it was as if they simply glided through the water with sheer willpower alone.

Zak paused for a moment, then remembered he was five feet underwater and hurriedly swam up to the surface, beating his legs frantically.

Zak's head broke through the surface of the lake, accompanied by a deep breath. The air seemed fresher in this part of the cave and the walls and ceiling seemed to almost drip with moisture. Before he did anything else, Zak placed the somewhat deflated form of Ditto on top of his head, then paddled calmly to the side of the lake. Upon reaching the edge, he placed Ditto gently on the cavern floor and exited the water, surveying the new room he was in.

This room was smaller than the previous one, but this only served to make the lake seem bigger. The room spanned an area of about twenty square feet, of which the lake took up three quarters of this. There were no visible openings other than the one Zak had just arrived through, though he imagined there was another entrance somewhere at the bottom of the lake.

All around him were the same Pokemon that had been swimming in the pool, again completely oblivious to the human and his partner who had appeared mere seconds ago in a chaotic splash. Zak didn't recognise the species, but it was clear that they were of the Water-type.

He watched them as they jumped in-between rocks and in and out of the water playfully. There must have been at least twenty on the cavern's floor and even more in the lake.

Zak felt a nudge on his ankle and looked down to see Ditto poking him. Zak smiled at the creature and knelt down to face it.

"Hey Ditto." he said gently. "You okay?"

Ditto grinned and nodded, jumping up and down on the spot and thrusting two limb-like appendages in the air as if it were shadow boxing. Zak laughed at this and began to walk along the edge of the lake, towards the waterfall where they came in.

From this side of the cave the opening appeared somewhat bigger, but was still a daunting prospect to squeeze through, especially when there were no clear footholds in the wall to allow effective climbing. Zak sighed and sat back down beside the waterfall, watching the waters cascade and flow down into the awaiting pool.

Meanwhile, Ditto was making itself known to the local Pokemon, following them around and attempting to imitate their different movements and calls. Zak stared at the waterfall in deep thought, wondering just how he would be able to climb back out of this room, and to help Bugsy defeat Team Rocket on the other side.

Zak sat there for a few more minutes, lost deep in his thoughts. From this side of the waterfall he could hear no sound from the other room, which only helped fuel his worries.

Zak tilted his head to face the lake and watched the small, blue Pokemon jump in and out of the water, causing large splashes. They would steadily float to the surface, their faces down, submerged by the water, then release a mass of water from their mouths, sending them spiraling up nine or ten feet into the air, after which they would fall back down into the water and repeat the whole process again.

Zak watched this strange behaviour for a moment, when suddenly an idea came to him. He stood up suddenly, causing a few of the Pokemon to stop their activities and stare at his abrupt movement. Turning to Ditto, his eyes wide, Zak grinned and pointed to one of the Pokemon that was floating atop the lake, staring blankly at the human trainer.

"Ditto!" Zak exclaimed excitedly. "I've got it! Can you transform into one of these Pokemon?"

Ditto paused for a moment, nodding hesitantly.

"Alright then!" Zak cried, punching his fist into the air in triumph. "Ditto, use Transform!"

Ditto obeyed it's command, fixing it's eyes on the Pokemon in the water. After a few seconds of what looked like intense concentration on Ditto's part, Zak's Pokemon began to glow a bright white, it's shape moulding and contorting, slowly becoming an exact duplicate of the Pokemon floating in the lake.

"Chi?" the newly transformed Ditto asked in a slightly perplexed tone of voice, turning to it's trainer. "Chinchou?"

"Alright, good job, Ditto!" Zak congratulated, clapping his hands together, causing Ditto to blush slightly. "So, these little guys are Chinchou, huh? Well Ditto, do you see what those Chinchou are doing over there?"

Ditto's eyes followed the direction in which Zak's finger was pointing towards the far end of the lake, where other Chinchou were continuing to fire themselves up into the air, then tumble back down with a splash. Ditto nodded to it's trainer, beginning to understand what Zak had in mind.

"I want you to blast us up that waterfall and back into the next room, deal?"

"Chin!" Ditto agreed, waddling over to where Zak stood, then following the human as he dived back into the lake, just before the waterfall.

Ditto felt the strong grip of it's trainer's hands on it's small body, and, without a moment's notice, dived into the water headfirst, pulling Zak in with it.

The wild Chinchou all stared at the scene, and began to jump up and down in equal amounts of fascination and excitement when suddenly the two newcomers were thrown out of the water and into the air at a forty-five degree angle.

Zak felt the familiar touch of jagged rocks pound against his stomach, but his grip on Ditto remained firm, his Pokemon forcefully spraying water and sending the two of them careening into where Blackrock lay, back on solid ground.

Zak turned away from the giant rock snake, gently rubbing his head. His shirt was stained pale red with blood, and only now did he realise just how badly the rocks in the riverbed had lashed at his skin.

Zak's eyes studied his surroundings, his head still feeling somewhat woozy from Ditto's ride. To his left, Ditto, still in the shape of a Chinchou, was upside-down, struggling to flip itself back onto it's feet. Behind him Blackrock lay sleeping, and a few yards in front of him stood Team Rocket and Bugsy, still battling away, despite the interruption.

Beedrill appeared tired, but seemed to have managed to hold it's own against Butch and Cassidy's Hitmontop and Houndour, both of which were panting quite heavily. Zak got to his feet and turned to Ditto, who was now ready to join the fray.

"Okay, Ditto!" Zak declared, pointing straight towards Team Rocket's Pokemon with a glint in his eye. "Let's pick up where we left off! Use Hydro Pump, now!"

Ditto chirped it's understanding and flung itself up into the air, spinning at an alarming speed before belching out a huge torrent of water which collided into both Houndour and Hitmontop, as well as their respective trainers.

Bugsy grinned as he watched Butch, Cassidy and Houndour crash into the cavern's back wall beside the large, towering machine, whilst Hitmontop managed to hold it's ground, glaring over at the transformed Pokemon which had just attacked.

"Hitmontop!" Butch spluttered, coughing out water. "Attack that little freak with Triple Kick!"

"Hitmon!" Hitmontop shouted, charging towards Chinchou and revving up it's right leg.

"Beedrill, use Supersonic attack now!" Bugsy commanded.

Beedrill hissed it's acknowledgment and beat it's wings, sending out peculiar sonic vibrations which bounced and echoed between the cavern walls. Hitmontop's eyes began to droop before the Fighting-type Pokemon fell flat on it's face, it's mind spinning.

"Follow up with Pin Missile!"

Beedrill pointed it's stinger-shaped arms down at Hitmontop, then buzzed angrily, showering it's opponent with dozens of tiny, needle-like projectiles. Hitmontop simply stared up at the ceiling, powerless to do anything as it was shunted across the floor from the attack right next to it's trainer.

"Yes!" Zak grinned, knowing that their victory was close. "Alright Ditto, now-" his voice was cut off by a large snapping sound from behind.

Both Zak and Bugsy turned to see Dalton, his hunting knife held in one hand, and the large, metal brace that had been clamped to Blackrock's neck in the other. The woodcutter had a proud smile on his face and behind him Blackrock began to awaken from it's slumber.

"Uh, Butch?" Cassidy whispered, her voice wavering in fear as she watched the gigantic Rock-type Pokemon rise above them, it's eyes locked on the gigantic machine next to where they sat. "This... This wasn't in the plan, was it?"

"And the worst thing is," Butch mumbled nervously, watching his partner from the corner of his eye. "what that big snake's gonna do ain't gonna be nearly as bad as what the boss will do to us when he finds out we blew it again..."

"I hate working with kids!" Cassidy screamed.

With an almighty roar which shook the very ground on which they stood, Blackrock took a swing of it's enormous tail and sent it plummeting into Team Rocket's giant machine. The contraption hissed at first, sparks flying around it before a robotic, yet feminine, voice was heard booming from the cockpit's speakers.

"Warning. System damage critical. Explosion imminent."

Butch and Cassidy screamed in unison as the machine's metal exterior erupted into flames, blasting apart the cavern wall and sending Team Rocket and their Pokemon flying off into the clear, blue sky.

"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!" the two agents bellowed as they slowly became nothing more than a dot on the horizon.

Zak watched the two of them, then turned to face Blackrock, awestruck by the Pokemon's power. Blackrock stared down at Zak, it's eyes now seemed to be soft and gentle, and a small smile appeared across it's face.

"Wow..." Zak breathed, not quite believing that this was the same Onix that a mere hour ago was rampaging through Union Cave.

Shakily, Zak extended his hand and patted Blackrock on the nose as a way of saying thank you. It was clear that Blackrock understood Zak's gratitude, as it's smile seemed to widen. Ditto waddled up beside it's trainer's leg and nodded at Blackrock, smiling.

"So it was that machine that was causing all this trouble." Bugsy concluded, looking up at Blackrock as the Onix turned and began to burrow down into the ground, happy to be free of the collar's grip. The Azalea Town Gym leader looked towards Zak and extended his hand, prompting Zak to shake it.

"It's Zak, right?" the young trainer nodded. "I'm Bugsy, and it was good to have you with us today."

"I..." Zak blushed, not entirely sure of what to say. "Thank you, Bugsy. That means a lot, coming from a Gym leader." Zak took Bugsy's hand and shook it firmly. "I'm just glad we got to help Blackrock."

"Let's just hope Team Rocket doesn't return." Dalton joined the conversation, placing a strong hand on Zak's shoulder. "You did well, Zak. Your father would be proud." Zak's eyes widened in shock as he heard this.

"My father?" he repeated, stunned. "How do you know-?"

"I know everything about you, Zak Vangard." Dalton explained, smiling warmly. "Your father used to talk about you all the time."

Zak opened his mouth to speak, but Dalton interrupted him.

"I'll tell you the whole story, but first of all tell me..." the woodcutter hesitated for a moment before continuing. "How would you like to become a swordsman?"


	13. Fast Forward Three Months On

Clouds sailed across the open, blue skies above the security guard who sat watching, a hint of boredom evident on his face. The man sighed, the glare of the sun reflected by the dark tint of the large sunglasses he wore, which themselves were connected to a large helmet that vaguely resembled an old pilot's hat.

"I hate guard duty." the man muttered, though he knew no-one was listening.

The Team Rocket hangar was unusually quiet today, as most of the helicopters and other vehicles used by the agency were out on missions that had already lasted several days. The hangar itself was huge and easily capable of holding five or six large vehicles, but this only served to make the place feel more empty.

Across the room, the man could make out three other small towers, each manned by a fellow Team Rocket agent surveying their respective directions. Today he had been assigned to Tower SW, or Tower South-West to anyone who wasn't in the know about their hangar terminology.

The man yawned, tired of looking up at the sky. He stared down at the security monitors in front of him for several minutes before reaching for the extra pair of binoculars that lay beside his ID card which he had casually left on his desk. It clearly displayed a photograph of the man in his traditional field agent attire with his name, Gus, printed in bold capitals just below. Underneath all this were several barcodes and division abbreviations which were standard for all members of Team Rocket - from Grunt to Elite.

Gus grinned, raising the sunglasses to allow easy access for his binoculars. He lowered his gaze ever so carefully from the sky that he was supposed to be monitoring down towards Tower North-East. He knew that the new girl was manning that station, and she had already gained a reputation as quite the hottie.

Suddenly the monitors in front of Gus beeped, clumsily snapping him out of his daydream and back into reality. The man groaned, tapping some commands into the keyboard to check what was wrong. The monitor switched between various different cameras before showing an object on the screen which was traveling at great speeds towards the hangar from the south-west. But it wasn't a vehicle.

"This is Tanner here," the speakers hissed at the security guard. "arriving in less than one minute's time."

"Roger that, Tanner," Gus replied, pressing down on the small red button on the side of his microphone. "hangar's clear, no landing position required."

"I should hope not." came the abrupt response.

Gus scowled at the radio, grinding his teeth in mild distaste. He hated the fact that a grown man such as himself was forced into taking orders from a motley crew of teenagers. He had remembered hearing stories of Team Rocket's grand leader back when he had first joined the organisation.

"Ah, yes," he mumbled, leaning back in the seat and lifting his legs onto the desk in front of him. "Giovanni..."

Giovanni had been the mastermind behind Team Rocket for many years now and it was difficult to tell between fact and fiction about the man who had almost become as legendary as Ho-oh itself.

Some stories told of how he had risen from the dirty back-streets and alleyways of Viridian City, ruthlessly clawing his way to the top of his own vicious regime; in others he was a man born into power and prestige, determined to mould the world into his own image.

But those were just old legends, passed down from the sheer incompetent to the purely gullible. Gus understood that now. How could any self-respecting would-be dictator allow one of his own outposts to be commandeered by a bunch of kids? It just didn't make sense.

Gus was snapped out of his daydream by the abrupt and sudden arrival of a swiftly moving Pokemon of the Flying-type. The creature, it's dark green feathers shining like deeply coloured glass in the light of the midday sun, swooped down into the hangar without warning before being recalled into it's Pokeball by the rider who leapt from the bird like a trained acrobat, his agility and overflowing confidence a marvel to behold.

Tanner stood in the centre of the hangar for a moment and grinned over towards Tower NE with just a hint of arrogance. Gus watched as the new girl waved at him, a smile evident on her face.

"Ugh," Gus whispered under his breath, making sure his microphone wasn't listening in. "that's gotta be cradle snatching."

Pleased with his suitably dramatic entrance, Tanner made his way out of the hangar and through a large, open doorway labeled "EAST", into a slowly narrowing corridor coloured in a bland scheme of pale grey with two large, red stripes running parallel on both sides of the walls.

The young trainer chuckled to himself as he tossed the Great ball which contained Zak's father's Scizor up into the air then caught it confidently. Many Team Rocket Grunts bowed and nodded their heads as he passed, but he refused to acknowledge them. After all, that would mean he would be dragged down to their level, the very thought of which he considered insulting.

After a good five minutes of walking Tanner arrived at the scene of an elevator. He silently pressed the call button and stood in the centre of the hallway, watching as the light displayed the transport's current position in the bunker. Within a few moments the elevator arrived, the automatic doors sliding open and allowing access to the inside, where he allowed the doors to close before he did anything else.

Cautiously, Tanner made sure that the elevator wasn't bugged and that the standard security camera was pointed away from the elevator's key panel. Once he was convinced that he was alone, the boy punched in a combination of keys, causing the elevator to shake for a few seconds, as if it wasn't quite sure whether to go up or down.

The shaking ceased, and the key panel slid away, revealing a small monitor about four inches in both length and width. Underneath this were four other buttons which had not been there previously. Tanner pushed down firmly on the button to the far right, which caused the monitor to flicker to life.

"Additional identification required." the robotic, feminine voice instructed.

Tanner complied, moving forward and positioning his face just in front of the screen, where a bright red laser carefully analysed his image. After a few more seconds, the elevator's original key panel returned and the voice acknowledged his identity as the transport began moving down towards the lower levels.

"Identity confirmed. Proceed."

Stepping out from the elevator on the hidden basement floor, the first thing that would you strike you is just how much darker this corridor is in contrast to those on the higher levels. Low intensity, pale yellow lights barely managed to illuminate the floor, let alone the walls and ceiling. Each light was mounted onto the side of the railing which rose up from the metal floor by about four feet. These railings were a necessary precaution because, if you were to look closely, you would realise that the walls were not of standard concrete, but in fact the entire basement seemed to be installed in a vast, natural cave network.

The air on this level was cool and full of moisture, and the distant, echoing sound of running water could be heard far off in the distance. Tanner was not entirely sure of what Team Rocket were mining in this outpost and he didn't particularly care either; his loyalty resided with his master and his master alone - so long as he got the pick of his fair share of missions, he was happy.

After another ten minutes of walking along the dank, metal walkway - changing paths many times along the way - Tanner finally arrived at a large, square-shaped mass of concrete in the centre of the path. This construction was essentially another building built inside the cave network and exactly mirrored the style and design of the bunker's corridors on the hangar floor, with one red stripe wrapping it's way around the side of the building on top of a light grey colour scheme.

Without a moment's hesitation, Tanner swiped his Team Rocket ID card through the electronic lock just above the right hand railing and pushed opened the heavy stone door with a muted grunt.

Tanner's face was immediately hit with a gentle blast of warm air which circulated throughout the entirety of the rather humble room. The young trainer entered, closing the door firmly behind him.

This room, unlike any of the areas Tanner had seen previously, seemed very inconspicuous, which seemed strange for a Team Rocket hideout. The walls were painted in an off-white colour and two bunk beds were positioned in the two far corners of the room. The same red stripe which adorned most of the walls in the hideout again made an appearance here, wrapping around the room and ending only to showcase the two large doors which allowed entry - the first of which Tanner had just walked through, and the second stood directly opposite him.

As the teenager entered he felt the eyes of three other trainers stare up at him. Two of them, a boy and a girl, sat on the bottom bed to Tanner's left and the other stood with his back against the right-hand wall. All three of them were older than Tanner, though only by a few years or so.

The boy to his right possessed spiky, dark brown hair which he wore short at the front and slightly long at the back, jutting out from his neck by about two or three inches, and his eyes were even darker still. He wore a large, armoured tunic that was coloured in crisp, vibrant shades of red and white and looked more suited to a robot than a human. This covered his chest and down to his lower back, whilst the rest of his torso was protected by a thick, midnight black t-shirt and his pants were bulky and covered with dark green camouflage patterns.

The girl to Tanner's left had long, silky red hair down to her shoulders and bright sapphire eyes. Her face was soft and pretty, and she seemed somewhat out of place amongst the three men in the room. Her more laid-back attire of a pale blue denim jacket, pure white shirt and black flared pants didn't help her to blend in, either. The boy she sat next to, however, needed no clothes to distinguish himself as a born leader.

"Master." Tanner greeted the boy simply, throwing him the dark blue Pokeball, which Knite caught with ease. Knite stared at the ball for a moment, a rather bland look on his face, before looking back up to Tanner.

"And the sword?" he asked dryly.

Tanner felt his stomach heave slightly with nerves - the sword! In his hurry to bring Scizor back to his master, he hadn't figured out an explanation in his defence. The boy gritted his teeth, then walked to the opposite side of the room, his mind racing with things to say.

"I was unable to retrieve the-"

"What!?" Knite's furious roar interrupted Tanner's timid excuse.

Knite immediately got to his feet, his eyes twitching as he approached Tanner slowly and carefully. Tanner's eyes widened as he watched his master moving ever so closer, as if he had been caught like a rabbit in the headlights.

"Please, let me explain!" Tanner insisted, swallowing hard. "There was this girl, she-"

"A girl?" Knite repeated; his tone would have been mocking him if it weren't for the obvious rage which seethed from his very form. "And how exactly did this GIRL stop you?"

"She wasn't just any girl, really!" Tanner stammered, taking a step back and then finding his back pinned against the wall. Knite stopped in his approach and simply stared sternly at the boy. "She was the Goldenrod Gym leader, if it weren't for her meddling, I would have-"

"Whitney Akane." Knite muttered, a smile creeping over his face. "One of Johto's considerably WEAKER Gym leaders."

Tanner said nothing, his breathing fast and shaky.

"Team Rocket does not pay us for incompetence, Tanner." the boy continued.

"I understand, sir," Tanner yielded, hanging his head in shame. "it won't happen again."

"It doesn't matter," Knite replied, turning his back and returning to the bed. "Return to Ilex and take the sword from the boy. Axel, you go with him."

Axel's eyes met Knite's across the room. The boy with the dark brown hair and matching eyes nodded silently, removing his leg from the wall and heading towards the door where Tanner had just come from.

Tanner watched Axel, contempt rising within him. He didn't require baby-sitting - he could handle Zak Vangard just fine without any help. Knowing better than to question his master's orders, Tanner followed Axel towards the door.

"And if the girl gets in your way again," Knite continued, still not facing either of the two boys. "kill her and take her Pokemon."

Axel nodded once again and pushed the door open, heading out into the caverns of Team Rocket's hideout, Tanner following close behind. The door closed with a loud thud, and Knite looked down at the girl sitting before him.

"You okay?" she asked, genuine concern ringing in her voice.

Knite said nothing and simply walked to the other side of the room, his fists tightly clenched. He stared at the Great ball lying in his palm, then smiled, throwing it to the floor and allowing it's release mechanism to activate.

The light of the Pokeball flashed and engulfed the small room, producing the strong, menacing form of Scizor in it's centre. Knite stared at the creature, waiting for the light to dissipate. The creature stared back, it's eyes narrowing as they met across the room; it could sense there was something different about this boy.

Scizor didn't particularly care that Zak wasn't here - after all, it didn't consider him it's trainer in the slightest - and this new boy standing opposite it proved interesting. Scizor didn't trust him, but right now, it didn't want to trust anybody.

From behind the girl sitting on the bed to the left, Scizor could see from the corner of it's eye a small, round Pokemon with a pale blue colouring and soft, white underbelly which it did not recognise. It was clearly an aquatic Type and posed little threat to a powerful Scizor, but it was interesting nonetheless.

"Scizor," Knite spoke up, his eyes still locked on the form of his newly-stolen Pokemon which remained motionless. "you're going to play an important role in my plans."

Scizor seemed to ignore the trainer standing before him, merely watching his eyes cautiously. Knite grinned and continued his monologue whilst the girl and her pet Pokemon simply watched.

"I know Geol Vangard went to great lengths to keep you from being found. You're one of the keys that is going to help me unlock the power of Raikou, and every other legendary Pokemon known to man!"

Scizor was completely unimpressed by this display of megalomania and crouched down to the floor, it's eyes now fixed on the armour-plated door directly behind Knite.

"Just try it." Knite taunted, knowing the Pokemon's plan all too well. "I dare you."

Without a second glance Scizor launched itself towards the door, swinging it's clawed arm back and preparing for an almighty punch through the metal which blockaded it in.

With reflexes quicker than lightning Knite removed the steel lance from his back, holding both ends of the weapon in either hand and forming a powerful defence. Scizor's hand met the weapon and orange sparks exploded from the intense collision of steel against steel, neither human nor Pokemon backing down as the two stood there, pushing one another back, refusing to budge even an inch.

Scizor glared down at the boy which dared to defy it, but was unable to force it's opponent back. Suddenly it swung it's free claw towards the side of Knite's face, but the trainer simply threw the lance up from the floor and parried the attack again, grinning madly at the attacking Pokemon.

This shameless display of arrogance only served to enrage Scizor more as it threw itself back from the metal and began to charge a brightly coloured ball of energy in-between it's pincers.

"It's about to use Hyper Beam!!" the girl screamed, knowing that such an explosive attack in this small area would most certainly annihilate both herself and Knite. She turned to the small Pokemon by her side and pointed towards Scizor. "Spheal, use Aurora Beam! Stop that attack!"

The spherical Pokemon obeyed it's trainer and leapt onto her lap, blasting the Steel-Type with a beam of icy, multi-coloured energy. This simply proved to be a minor irritation to Scizor, but it was distracting enough to give Knite an opportunity to thrust the lance deep into Scizor's metal stomach, causing the Hyper Beam to dissipate and the Pokemon to fall to the floor in surprise.

Knite idly picked up the Great ball which lay discarded on the floor and recalled Scizor back into it's confines, his face stern and his eyes narrowed.

"Don't ever challenge me again." the boy hissed at the ball, knowing the unconscious Pokemon inside could hear his words. Knite turned to look at the girl and her Pokemon before heading towards the door. "And Tessa..."

The girl looked up at him, not sure what to expect. Spheal imitated it's trainer, though it's eyes contained more obvious concern.

"Don't interrupt my fights." Knite insisted, his voice cold and harsh. "Ever."

With that said, the trainer exited the room.

* * *

Zak yawned and lazily sat up on the bed, peering outside the window which directly faced Ilex forest. The sun was already beginning to beat down on the landscape, despite the digital figures on his alarm clock which read '7:00AM'.

Zak groaned to himself, but he didn't really mind getting up so early, in fact, over the past four months he had gotten used to it.

It was now well into midsummer and ever since their battle with Team Rocket in Union Cave, Zak had been taken under the wing of Dalton, the local Azalea town woodcutter who was also secretly a member of the Watchers of Raikou. During their time together, Dalton had taught Zak as much as he could learn about Pokemon training, ancient Johto martial arts and, of course, the way of the sword.

Zak had done his best to try and pick up as much as Dalton could teach him, but he still had a long way to go before he felt truly confident of his abilities.

The boy got to his feet, being careful to stoop down, as he had hit his head against the low wooden ceiling many times during the past four months and it was not a particularly pleasant experience.

He reached for his sword and the five Pokeballs which lay on the cabinet at the head of the bed and attached them to his belt before making his way outside, breathing in deep the crisp, morning air which surrounded him.

Dalton's garden was quite large considering how small Azalea was, but Zak figured it made sense, since he was the local woodcutter and a lot of space was required for the storing of trees and lumber, especially during winter times. Zak had been staying in the small, converted shed which was nestled just opposite of Dalton's house. Whilst it had no modern luxuries to speak of, it was quaint and cozy, and that was enough for the young trainer.

Zak wandered across the pristine grass of Dalton's back yard, watching the local Spearow swoop in-between the nearby trees of Ilex forest. Dalton's house, like his garden, was also rather large, though it had only one story, but still offered plenty of space for the two of them to practice swordsmanship and the occasional Pokemon battle.

Zak seemed more excited about today's training, though he wasn't entirely sure why and figured it was probably best not to question himself as he kicked off his shoes and entered the building through the back entrance, which Dalton always opened from six AM onwards. His sandals slapped against the fine, mahogany floor as he walked into the sparring area and poured himself a glass of water from the filter sitting on the far table.

"Good morning, Zak." Dalton greeted as he entered the room from the door to Zak's left.

Zak peered over and smiled in response, taking another sip of the drink in his hands. Dalton was wearing his traditional sparring uniform but, unlike normal, had a large grey backpack with many pockets and compartments with black straps slung across his shoulder. Zak was curious about this, but decided not to question it, since it was such a small matter.

Dalton made his way to the opposite doorway from which Zak had entered and placed the bag on the floor just beside the edge of the large sparring mat in the centre of the room.

"So master," Zak spoke up, placing the now empty glass on the table next to him. "what are we going to learn today?"

An uneasy silence hung in the air for a moment before Dalton answered the boy.

"Zak," Dalton sighed somewhat reluctantly and stared at the floor. "you've been a good student."

Zak peered up at the older man, raising an eyebrow, wondering exactly where he was going with this topic of conversation.

"You've come on in leaps and bounds since we first met four months ago. You can understand and battle with your Pokemon better than ever, and your skill with your father's sword grows day after day."

"Master?" Zak muttered, taking a step closer to Dalton, a look of concern and bafflement covering his face. "Has something happened?"

"It's..." Dalton replied, forcing a smile. "It's time to move on, Zak. I've taught you all I can. Now your destiny lies elsewhere."

Zak stood in stunned silence for a moment, not sure what to say. It was true that he had grown more confident during these past months, both in defending himself and battling with his Pokemon, but he still felt insignificant in comparison to Ilex's woodcutter himself.

"I'm not sure I'm ready yet..." Zak murmured, looking away.

"You're wrong." Dalton replied, stepping forward and lifting the bag off the ground, handing it to the boy. "I've taken you as far as I can. Now you have to find your father and let him finish your training."

Zak took the bag from Dalton and opened the main compartment, peering inside, where he could see three metallic objects placed amongst his folded clothes. He removed them from the bag and placed them on the floor, side by side, so he could examine them closer.

"Everything a trainer needs." Dalton explained before Zak had a chance to even ask.

The man pointed to the first object, which Zak took in his hand. It was a thin, rectangular box of steel-blue aluminum which easily unclipped like a glasses case to reveal a luxurious bed of black velvet, upon which sat two familiar items - Morty's Grey Badge and Whitney's Plain Badge, positioned next to six empty grooves which were etched into the fabric.

"A badge case, to keep your trophies safe."

Zak smiled to himself, not sure what to say. On the one hand he had always known this would happen - he and Dalton had become close friends and Zak's determination to find his father always pushed him to achieve the best results he possibly could. On the one hand he was pleased to be leaving with these new skills and better prepared than ever to find his father; but on the other hand he didn't expect his training to be so short, and during his time here he had become good friends with Dalton, Alex, Tori and Bugsy, all of whom he would soon have to say goodbye to.

Zak placed the badge case back inside the bag and moved on to the next item - a slightly larger rectangle, this time coloured red and made of firm plastic with a metal, glossy coating.

"A PokŽdex," Dalton continued. "just in case you ever find yourself in need of some info."

Zak pushed his thumb against the small groove at the side of the PokŽdex, forcing a brief click to resound from the object and open up the machine. Inside the case, on the inside door, was a small note sheet with Dalton's handwriting, listing Zak's name, date and place of birth, current Pokemon, and badges obtained, as well as a collection of grooves where two stylus pens and one ball-point pen sat, waiting to be used.

On the right-hand side of the PokŽdex was a small screen, about three and a half inches wide and three inches tall, which had flickered to life as soon as Zak had opened the portable machine's door. Below this screen was one large speaker, and below this was a selection of buttons, giving access to different functions and compartments.

Zak took one of the stylus pens attached to the left-hand side of the PokŽdex and pressed it to the screen, beginning to scroll through the machine's different functions, including trainer profiles, Pokemon listings and local region maps of Kanto and Johto.

Zak needed no explanation as to what a PokŽdex was - he knew from different books and television shows back home that it was an essential piece of kit for official Pokemon trainers, acting as a personal electronic database as well as a fully online Pokemon encyclopedia, categorising and explaining hundreds of different Pokemon types.

"And last but by no means least," Dalton resumed, prompting Zak to put away the PokŽdex and focus on the last item on the mat before him. "a PokŽgear, so you don't have to lose touch with any of us!"

Unlike a PokŽdex, Zak had no clue what a PokŽgear was supposed to be. The item in front of him looked to be more like an oversized wristwatch, the current time being displayed in digital units on a small green and black screen on it's plastic face. The entire unit shared the PokŽdex's glossy metallic finish, only it was coloured black and not red.

"A... PokŽgear?" Zak echoed, staring up at Dalton, clearly puzzled by the object in his hands.

"Right, right!" Dalton laughed, getting to his knees and taking the watch from Zak.

He flipped open the face cover, revealing a bright, crisp colour screen on the top side of the watch, which showed an image of Zak's face. There was a small speaker located just above the picture, and on the lower portion of the PokŽgear were a selection of buttons, identical to those found in the PokŽdex, albeit it slightly smaller. Below these was another speaker, an exact duplicate of it's sibling on the top half of the machine.

"This PokŽgear acts as a clock, radio and cellphone!" Dalton explained excitedly, going through as many of the PokŽgear's different functions as he could in a short space of time, obviously thrilled at the prospect of using it. "Of course I've already inputted your trainer details and everyone's numbers, so if you ever need to talk you can just tap this button and we'll be on the phone in no time at all!"

Zak smiled, surprised at himself for being so speechless. It was a very strange feeling to be suddenly showered with so many gifts from people that he didn't even know four months ago.

Dalton went on to explain that Zak's details had been officially entered into the Johto Pokemon League's database, granting him free access to registered tournaments and league matches if he so desired, and also allocating storage boxes for any Pokemon he caught after his sixth catch. Zak knew, as many other trainers did also, that upon catching your seventh Pokemon it was transferred directly into a cyber storage box, accessible only from personal computers and laptops with Internet capabilities. This was primarily to enforce official league rules on traveling trainers, but it also solved the trouble of carrying many cumbersome Pokeballs on your belt at once.

When Dalton was finally done detailing all of the PokŽgear's functions to Zak he got back onto his feet and headed towards the front door of his house. After a few minutes he returned and instructed Zak to make his way to the makeshift stadium etched into Dalton's back yard.

Zak did as he was told; after all, Dalton had not officially dismissed him as his student and it would probably be the last time in a long, long while that he could battle with his master. He was even more surprised, then, when he saw Dalton emerge from the house, Bugsy, the Azalea Town Pokemon Gym leader, following closely behind.

"Master?" Zak questioned, his eyebrow raised in curiosity.

"Zak, there is one more thing you have to do before I can allow you to leave." Dalton replied, allowing Bugsy to step forward, taking his place on the opposite end of the stadium. Zak stared over at Bugsy, knowing what was about to take place.

"You must defeat me, Zak." Bugsy finished Dalton's sentence, readying a Pokeball in his hand and raising it towards his opponent. "Then - and only then - will you be ready to leave Azalea Town."


	14. Zak vs Bugsy! Battle For Acceptance!

Zak gripped one of the Pokeballs in his hand, a sly smile creeping onto his face. He had been so caught up in training that he had completely forgotten about challenging Bugsy to a Gym battle; but now that it was actually happening he was thrilled at the prospect. Judging by the look on Bugsy's face, he was eagerly awaiting the battle, also.

Zak and Bugsy had become good friends since Zak's stay at Dalton's home, but during their time together they had never even thought of actually battling one another. Tori and Alex would often help Zak with practice battles, but Bugsy was different - being a Gym leader, he was in a completely different league.

"Zak," Dalton called over, causing the boy to snap back to reality. "throw me your Pokeballs."

Despite his obvious confusion, Zak did as he was told. Dalton examined each of the balls carefully, before throwing Zak back three of the five.

"This will be a three-on-three Pokemon battle." Dalton announced, assuming his role as official judge of the upcoming match. "Bugsy, the defending champion and Azalea Town Gym leader will use Beedrill, Butterfree and Scyther."

Bugsy nodded in agreement to this, not taking his eyes off Zak.

"The challenger, Zak, will use Ditto, Tauros and Nidoqueen." the referee continued, prompting Zak's eyes to widen.

Both Zak's Magmar and Fearow were the only Pokemon he had that were naturally superior over Bug-type Pokemon. This battle would be a lot tougher than he had thought, especially since it was all taking place according to Bugsy's rules.

"Are the trainers in agreement?" Dalton asked, looking to both competitors for a look of acknowledgment.

Both Zak and Bugsy nodded.

"No time limit!" Dalton declared, throwing his hand into the air. "Let the match begin!"

Both Zak and Bugsy threw down their Pokeballs with equal timing, calling out the names of their chosen warriors as they did so.

"Go, Beedrill!" Bugsy yelled.

"Go, Tauros!" Zak replied.

The humble stadium was bathed in a faint, white light as the two challengers entered the arena. On the left-hand side stood Zak's Tauros, stomping it's hooves menacingly into the faded grass; on the other side hovered Bugsy's Beedrill, it's translucent wings beating so fast the air surrounding the creature seemed to ebb and flow.

"Best of luck, Zak." Bugsy called over to his friend on the other side of the battlefield.

"You too, Bugsy." Zak grinned as he spoke, then pointed straight at Beedrill. "Focus Energy, Tauros!"

"Beedrill, Agility!" Bugsy issued his command.

Tauros closed it's eyes in deep mental preparation, listening out closely for the sound of Beedrill's constantly beating wings which seemed to surround and engulf the air all around the giant bull.

Zak gritted his teeth as he watched the fight unfold. He wasn't particularly nervous, but he was very excited at the prospect of an all-out battle after so many weeks of simple "training". During that time his Pokemon had learnt new moves and improved their overall conditions - strength, speed, reflexes - everything about them had improved dramatically. But Zak knew all too well that his weren't the only Pokemon that improved in time.

"Strike now!" Bugsy yelled.

Immediately Beedrill dived towards it's opponent, stingers sharp and ready, aiming precisely at their target, wings beating faster and faster.

Without any need for words from Zak, Tauros opened it's eyes and leapt back with mere moments to spare as Beedrill collided with the ground and kicked up a heavy veil of dust.

"Fissure now!" Zak commanded.

Tauros instantly obeyed it's trainer, stamping both it's front hooves down onto the ground and causing the stadium itself to rock and sway as if caught in a miniature earthquake. The dry land cracked and split, and soon the entire ring was covered in small, imperfect hexagons.

"You're over-thinking this battle, Zak." Bugsy chuckled through the clouds of dust. "Even a novice knows Ground-type moves can't hurt a Flying-type Pokemon."

"Maybe if they're in the air, Bugsy," Zak answered cooly as the dust began to lift away from the field. "but when they're stuck on the ground, it's a different story."

Bugsy gasped as he saw Beedrill's wings beating weakly in a vain attempt to break free of the earth. It's right stinger had been wedged deep within the dry, barren ground and Tauros' Fissure attack had only proved to make matters worse for the Bug-type.

"Beedrill," Bugsy called over. "shoot yourself out of the ground with a Pin Missile!"

Beedrill did as it was ordered and sent a powerful shock-wave through the point of it's stinger. Hundreds of tiny needles all built up force and pressure, easily dislodging the Pokemon and allowing it to return to the skies.

Beedrill leered at it's opponent, to which Tauros simply stared back, unfazed. The Bug-type had taken heavy damage but was by no means out of the race yet.

"Beedrill, Pin Missile!" Bugsy continued the battle. "Aim for Tauros' hooves!"

Beedrill obeyed and quickly charged up enough force to send numerous tiny, poisonous needles shooting down towards the waiting bull.

"Pull back!" Zak yelled hurriedly, but it was too late.

Tauros glanced back at it's hind leg, which had been pinned down by hundreds of needles from Beedrill's Pin Missile attack. Tauros looked back up to where it's enemy was flying and weakly attempted to evade the continuing assault. Within seconds all of it's hooves had been trapped and Tauros was struggling to move even an inch.

"Now Beedrill, use your Agility, then dive down on Tauros with Poison Sting!" Bugsy smiled as he spoke, confident of victory.

Beedrill beat it's wings to an optimum speed again before diving down with both arms pointing directly at the trapped bull below, stingers sharp and menacing.

"Tauros, use Rage!" Zak ordered in as low a volume as possible. The trainer knew that Tauros' Rage attack grew in power with every successive hit the bull received, and it was clear by looking at Beedrill that the attacking Pokemon was raring to take full advantage of it's opponent's current situation.

"You've got to break free, Tauros!" Zak continued his orders, his voice now becoming louder. "Use your tails!"

Tauros flinched as Beedrill's stingers met their mark. The Bug-type continued it's assault, swiping and slashing at the creature in an attempt to wither it down into nothing. Bugsy simply stood at the other end of the stadium, his smile filled with confidence.

"Call off your Tauros, Zak!" the boy recommended. "There's no way it can escape from my Pin Missile trap!"

Zak said nothing in response to this. Instead he simply watched, his right fist clenched as he did so. He was confident that his Tauros had the strength to break free of Bugsy's trap, but in order to do that he knew that Tauros had to build up enough power with Rage, and Zak hated to see his Pokemon get hurt.

Tauros simply snorted, eyes tightly closed as it bore the brunt of Beedrill's attacks and continued to whip it's three tails as it's anger steadily grew in strength. As it stood there, bombarded by the constant Poison Stings of Bugsy's Beedrill, it's rear-right hoof began to move slowly, scraping against the dry, cracked earth.

"Now, Tauros!" Zak cried, pointing straight at Beedrill. "Rage attack!"

Tauros' eyes opened and it snorted deeply before letting out a tremendous roar. Beedrill was so surprised it paused in it's attacks momentarily. The Bug-type was about to strike again, when Bugsy noticed something.

"It's leg is free!" Bugsy gasped. "Beedrill, pull back now!"

Bugsy's command came too late for the confused Beedrill, who felt the powerful force of Tauros' Headbutt slam straight into it's gut. Tauros leapt free of the Pin Missile and pursued it's weary opponent which tried weakly to escape to the safety of the air. With another mighty Headbutt, Beedrill was sent crashing into the ground unconscious.

"Beedrill, return." Bugsy said as he recalled his fainted Pokemon back into the confines of it's Pokeball. "Good fight, Zak."

Bugsy grinned as he readied his second Pokeball, his face brimming with confidence.

"But you'll have to do a lot better than that to win this match!" he yelled, throwing down the Pokeball and unleashing the magnificent form of his Butterfree onto the field.

Zak stood and admired the beauty of Tauros' second opponent. He had seen Bugsy's Butterfree plenty of times during his stay in Azalea Town, yet he never ceased to be awestruck by the creature.

Butterfree hovered close to the ground, flapping it's wings with exquisite flair as if it were a top Pokemon coordinator's greatest prize. The large butterfly had a purple body and magnificent black and white wings, each detailed in perfect symmetry. It sniffed the air inquisitively, seemingly oblivious to Zak's Pokemon that stood on the opposite edge of the stadium.

"Okay, Tauros!" Zak smiled knowingly. "Charge Butterfree head-on with Take Down!"

Tauros snorted and dashed straight towards it's graceful enemy. It was a well-known fact that Butterfree was vastly inferior to Beedrill in terms of speed and that was a weakness which Zak was ready and willing to exploit.

"Butterfree, fly up and use Stun Spore!" Bugsy commanded.

Butterfree obeyed, swiftly twirling up into the air and shedding a light, powdery substance down onto the field below. The yellow cloud engulfed Tauros as the bull began to thrash below, desperately trying to escape the effects of the gas.

Zak said nothing as he watched the battle play out. Tauros' movements were now sluggish and easily read, whilst Butterfree seemed to be treating the entire battle as a playful game in the park. The trainer watched helplessly as Butterfree charged down, pummeling Tauros left and right until finally he had had enough.

"Tauros, return!" Zak announced, recalling his Pokemon into the confines of it's Pokeball.

Dalton eyed Zak as he replaced Tauros' Pokeball on the left side of his belt, before reaching to the right for his second choice.

"Ditto, I choose you!" he called, throwing down the sphere and releasing the small, pink shape of the Normal-type Pokemon into battle.

The newcomer watched Butterfree closely and grinned, eagerly anticipating the thought of taking to the skies. Ditto turned to it's master for confirmation of it's first move, but Zak shook his head. Though Ditto was a little disappointed, he knew that his trainer knew best.

"If you're not going to attack," Bugsy said simply. "then I'll do it for you!"

The boy pointed straight towards Ditto before issuing his command to Butterfree.

"Butterfree, use Take Down!"

Butterfree threw itself headfirst towards it's opponent with an agility which surprised even Dalton on the sidelines. Ditto, on the other hand, stood fast and braced itself for impact.

"Now!" Zak yelled.

Suddenly Ditto leapt up from the ground, causing Butterfree to give a light squeal of shock. The butterfly was so far into it's attack that altering it's course was impossible, and so it continued the attack, trying it's best not to crash into the ground.

As Butterfree passed underneath Ditto it felt a large weight pushing down on it. Looking over it's shoulder, Butterfree could see Ditto literally melting into liquid and oozing all over it's body. Butterfree squealed in equal amounts of both shock and horror, before desperately trying to shake it's opponent off.

Inevitably Ditto's form grew in weight, and so Butterfree was sent crashing down to earth with a thud. As soon as it's enemy had made contact with the ground, Ditto returned to it's original shape and hopped away from Butterfree.

"Transform, Ditto!" Zak ordered.

Ditto happily obeyed it's master. In mere seconds Ditto's body moulded into an exact duplicate of Butterfree. First the wings appeared as if emerging from a pot of liquid jelly, then the antennae, head and body followed suit.

"Psybeam, Ditto," Zak commanded, pointing straight at Butterfree. "now!"

Ditto squeaked it's confirmation, then let loose a blast of pure psychic energy from it's antennae. Two beams of colour - one purple and one yellow - melded together in mid-air as they accelerated towards their target, which was only now struggling to get back into the air.

With a surprisingly quiet noise reminiscent of a distant echo the Psybeam impacted with Butterfree's body, causing a loud squeal of pain from Bugsy's Pokemon. Butterfree attempted once again to return to the air, but a swift Take Down from Ditto made that move impossible.

"Return, Butterfree!" Bugsy ordered, causing the unconscious Pokemon to return to it's Pokeball. "You've gotten a lot better at this Zak. I'm impressed!"

"You're not too bad yourself, Bugsy!" Zak replied, unable to hide his smile from the compliment.

"I'm going to have to end this match right now, though." Bugsy sighed, reaching for his third and final Pokeball. "And believe me, I don't want this to end, I'm just enjoying it way too much."

Zak nodded, a trickle of sweat rolling down his forehead. He glanced up at the sky and only now realised how incredibly hot the day had become. He wiped his brow gently but refused to take his eye off Bugsy.

"But a Gym battle is a Gym battle." Bugsy continued before throwing a Pokeball straight into the centre of the arena. "Scyther, come on out!"

From amid the sparkle of light revealed by the Pokeball Bugsy's strongest Pokemon, Scyther, entered the arena. It's fur was a striking green, it's eyes a cold, calculated black and it's razor-sharp arms gleamed a pure metallic white in the early morning sun. The mantis Pokemon watched it's opponent carefully, it's body refusing to move even an inch until ordered to do so.

As Zak stood there, admiring Bugsy's Scyther, he realised just how impressive it was to be able to control such a powerful Pokemon. Ditto shared it's trainer's wariness of the new combatant, hovering towards the edge of the stadium and maintaining a watchful eye on the newcomer.

"Scyther, Swords Dance!" Bugsy yelled.

"Scy!" Scyther called back in response, crossing both arms in front of it's chest.

Like a bolt of green lightning Scyther began to spin on the spot and within moments was nothing more than a blur of colour, the sheer velocity of it's Swords Dance attack generating an enormous amount of heat which caused the surrounding air to flicker and wave as if caught in a miniature typhoon.

"Swords Dance, huh?" Zak commented, chuckling slightly as he stood there with his arms folded. "Pretty standard opening move for a Scyther; I expected more from you, Bugsy."

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it, Zak!" Bugsy laughed back.

"Very well," Zak mused to himself. "Ditto, use Whirlwind!"

Ditto squeaked it's reply, beating it's wings as hard as it could, knowing that this would be a very difficult battle indeed. Strong blasts of wind rained down upon Scyther but none of them even made a dent in the fire-like armour of the creature's Swords Dance.

"Now, Scyther!" Bugsy called.

Scyther responded in silence, immediately springing up from the ground and spinning straight towards Ditto, blades aiming straight at the creature's wings. With the beautiful yet deadly grace of a ninja striking from the shadows, Scyther unrelentingly shot towards the startled Ditto.

"Ditto, pull up!" Zak cried, panic consuming his voice. He knew all too well that Ditto's speed was nowhere near close enough to Scyther's, and that was a flaw for which his Pokemon would pay dearly.

A harsh squeal echoed through the forest as Ditto was pinned to the grass, it's wings torn and impaled by Scyther's long, blade-like arms.

"Ditto, Psybeam!" Zak yelled desperately, hating to see his Pokemon injured.

Ditto meekly shook it's head at it's attacker, which stood leering over it like a wolf toying with it's prey. A weak blast of psychic energy smashed into Scyther's face, but the creature simply grinned. With one swift cut from Scyther's blade Ditto fainted and began to revert to it's original form.

"I'm sorry, Ditto," Zak whispered to the Pokeball in his hands after he had recalled his Pokemon. "but you can rest now."

Zak glared over at Bugsy, who stood at the opposite edge of the stadium, a tense, serious expression painted on his face. To Zak's left he could see Dalton and his two other Pokeballs which housed both Torch and Pick. Though he knew they couldn't see the battle, he somehow felt that they were both watching him, urging him to win.

Zak unclipped the final Pokeball from his belt, his eye still watching the two Pokeballs which sat on the sidelines. As he threw down the final Pokeball, one single thought entered his mind:

'This is for you guys.'

"Nidoqueen!" he summoned, watching the pastel-blue titan emerge from captivity.

Nidoqueen stomped her feet on the dry, arid ground and glared at Scyther, who refused to be intimidated so easily. The two Pokemon watched each other carefully, neither one revealing a glimpse of nerves.

"Begin!" Dalton ordered.

"Scyther, Agility!"

"Nidoqueen, Poison Sting!"

Both trainers issued their commands in unison and watched as their Pokemon obeyed the orders in complete synch. Nidoqueen fired hundreds of miniature needles at Scyther, who beat it's wings so quickly it seemed to teleport to different parts of the arena. Within moments both Pokemon were just inches apart and exchanging blows, neither one able to break the stalemate. Fists and scythes flew, both Pokemon ready and willing to take this battle all the way.

"Fly up, Scyther!" Bugsy called out, guiding his Pokemon up into the air above Nidoqueen. Zak glared up at the creature but refused to issue a command right away.

"Dive and use Slash!" Bugsy continued.

Narrowing it's glare on Nidoqueen, Scyther raised it's right arm and charged down towards Nidoqueen, slicing at it's thick, armoured plating. Nidoqueen flinched but remained strong in the face of it's opponent, shielding it's head from any potential impact.

"Now, Scyther..." Bugsy chuckled to himself, confident of victory. The boy pointed straight at Nidoqueen before declaring his choice of attack. "Fury Cutter!"

Zak's eyes widened and he knew he had to act now. Just as Scyther's claw began to descend once again in preparation of this new attack, the young trainer called out to his Pokemon.

"Nidoqueen, Ice Punch!"

Nidoqueen roared and threw a powerful uppercut towards Scyther which was dodged easily. Nidoqueen instinctively backed away from it's opponent but was quickly overwhelmed with a barrage of cuts and slashes.

"Have you forgotten Scyther's speed, Zak?" Bugsy taunted his rival, smiling to himself. "Nidoqueen's too slow to even strike a hit."

Zak growled under his breath as he watched Nidoqueen attempting in vain to evade Scyther's attacks which were rapidly gaining in speed and power. He couldn't let his training end like this... He had to do something; but what?

As Scyther flew in for another powerful strike, Zak yelled a command. In order for his plan to work he'd need a little luck - but that was the way he battled best.

"Nidoqueen, charge up an Ice Punch!" he cried.

Nidoqueen obeyed, clamping her fists together and charging them with a pale blue energy which shifted around the creature, warding off Scyther's attack with a frosty sting. Scyther glared at it's opponent for a moment before looking back over towards it's trainer, awaiting it's next order.

"Swords Dance, Scyther." Bugsy recommended.

Scyther did as it was told and began to twirl on the spot, the wind whipping past the creature at phenomenal speeds. As the two Pokemon prepared themselves for another showdown, Zak and Bugsy shared a few words, both trainers thrilled by the prospect of such an intense final showdown.

"So it all comes down to this, huh?" Bugsy spoke up, the fierce wind kicking up sand and dust all around him. "Best of luck, Zak."

"You too, Bugsy." Zak chuckled, shielding his eyes from the miniature sandstorm. "You too."

Both trainers and their Pokemon stood for a good five minutes, the chalk lines of the arena now entirely obscured and the still of the morning sun almost entirely forgotten. Seconds passed like hours until both trainers could sense that their Pokemon were ready.

And it began.

"Scyther, Guillotine now!" Bugsy demanded, pointing straight at Nidoqueen.

Scyther obeyed instantly, shooting straight for it's opponent at lightning-fast speed, claws at the ready. Zak paused, eying the Bug-type as it shot closer and closer until the time was exactly right.

"Ice Punch the ground, Nidoqueen!" Zak screamed over the roar of the sandstorm kicked up from Scyther's previous Swords Dance technique. "NOW!!"

At the very last second Nidoqueen crouched, launching a powerful fist straight into the cracked, dry earth and creating huge spikes of ice which encased the Pokemon. Scyther's claw crushed the shield as soon as the impact was made, causing huge boulders of ice to scatter and fly across the field.

But Nidoqueen was nowhere to be seen.

Zak smiled, knowing his plan was working. The combination of such violent winds and the loose dirt of the battlefield made it difficult enough to see already, but having Nidoqueen introduce a miniature blizzard into the equation, with a little help from Scyther's own attack, left both Pokemon completely blind. But Zak knew that Nidoqueen didn't need her eyes...

"Now, Ice Beam!" Zak called out as both trainers watched the cloud of dirt and ice with intense nerves.

After a moment which seemed to last forever one bright, pale blue beam shot out from the darkness of the battlefield, forcing an unconscious Scyther out into the open. The wind storm began to dissipate and an exhausted Nidoqueen emerged from the stadium, breathing heavily.

"But..." Bugsy mumbled, falling to his knees as he recalled Scyther into the Pokeball. "How?

Zak approached Bugsy, offering him a hand and helping the boy to his feet.

"Scyther's wings make an awful lot of noise." he explained, smiling. His heart was racing as the rush of adrenaline from the battle refused to fade away. "Nidoqueen didn't need to see to hit it."

Applause echoed from the side of the house where Dalton was standing. Zak and Bugsy both turned to face the woodcutter and found themselves standing before Alex, Tori and Kurt, all looking immensely satisfied with the battle they had just witnessed.

"Well, Zak," Dalton said, approaching the trainer and putting a hand on his shoulder. "it looks like you're finally ready to leave Azalea... And to continue on with your journey."

Zak grinned to himself, giving Nidoqueen a thumbs up. Nidoqueen blushed slightly, proud to be of help.

"Zak, you're finally ready to stand on your own two feet and discover the truth about your father." Dalton continued. As he said this Zak's face took on a more serious expression.

Dalton handed Zak his backpack and two Pokeballs as Zak returned Nidoqueen to it's ball and hooked the rest of his Pokemon team onto his belt. The sun continued to beat down on the trainer as he waited for Dalton's explanation. He was surprised, then, when his master handed him what appeared to be a pamphlet for a Pokemon tournament, huge lettering displaying "Violet City" on the top of the cover.

"What's this...?" Zak questioned, looking the scrap of paper over with curiosity evident on his face.

"A Pokemon tournament, being held in Violet City." Dalton explained simply. "It'll be the perfect cover for you."

"Cover?" Zak echoed as Kurt stepped forward.

"I analysed the data of that bracelet Team Rocket placed on Blackrock." the older man began, producing what appeared to be a ruined chunk of metal and electronics in his hand, wires protruding all over the place. "I managed to activate a homing signal from it, which pointed north towards Violet City. My best guess is that Team Rocket have some kind of secret hideout there, near to the Ruins of Alph."

"Ruins of Alph..." Zak muttered, remembering the name.

The Ruins of Alph were quite possibly Johto's most famous tourist attraction. Built by some ancient civilisation of unknown origin, Alph was said to have once been a great metropolis, and capital city of the most incredible empire ever to have been formed. For some unknown reason the ruins were now all that was left of this ancient city - a standing testament to the ingenuity of the human spirit and an ominous warning to would-be world leaders.

"Team Rocket, your father's disappearance, the disbandment of the Watchers," Dalton sighed. "everything that's happened lately just seems too convenient. I think that hideout is the best place to start looking."

"Right..." Zak mumbled nervously.

He considered protesting for a second, knowing that infiltrating a Team Rocket base would probably not be the safest idea, or by any means an easy task, but he also knew that this was the only lead to his father that he had, and he had to take it, even if it only meant getting Scizor back.

"Be careful, Zak." Tori insisted, wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace.

"I will." Zak laughed hesitantly as he said his goodbyes to the rest of the group, unaware that just a few yards away a familiar face stood lurking behind the trees, one fist clenched, ready to unleash a Pokeball at any second.

"Don't even think about it." the cool, calm, collected voice of Axel reached Tanner's ears.

Tanner turned swiftly and snorted in reply, walking away from the clearing and back into the deep, dark recesses of Ilex Forest where his partner stood, leaning idly against a tree.

"This is ridiculous!" Tanner coughed, kicking the ground in anger. "We've been watching Vangard for over three months now and STILL we haven't torched this village and taken his sword."

"Do you really think the authorities won't notice if Azalea Town is burnt to the ground?" Axel replied calmly, biting down on a stick of candy between his teeth. "This is one of Johto's most popular tourist attractions; if we burn it down all Knite's careful planning will go to waste."

"But the master burnt Vangard's village to cinders!" Tanner snapped back, fist raised. "It makes sense that we kill him now and be done with it!"

"You're a real fool sometimes, Tanner, y'know that?" Axel sighed, spitting on the ground in disgust. "Besides..."

Tanner glared towards Axel as he spoke, hating the cocky tone of his partner's voice.

"Why should the hunter bother to chase his prey," Axel continued. "when the prey is going to come to the hunter?"

"The tournament?" Tanner hazarded a guess. Axel nodded his reply.

"In a few brief weeks we'll battle Vangard in the Violet City tournament." he explained, his smile suddenly taking on a more sinister edge. "And when we beat him and take his sword nobody will be able to stop us."

Tanner smiled for what seemed like the first time in months as he came to a realisation.

"Yes..." he whispered to himself, his eyes wide with euphoria. "Then everyone will see him fall... Total humiliation..."

"Let's go," Axel ordered, walking further into the forest. "we've got a long walk ahead of us."


	15. Enter The Legendary Thief

Zak made his way through the ancient passageways and rocky tunnels of Union Cave. He'd been wandering through for some miles now and could sense he was closing in on the exit. As he walked he admired his badge case, and his newly acquired Hive Badge which was pinned inside and recalled the difficult battle he had to go through in order to win it.

The Hive Badge itself was a small semi-circle in the colours of a Ledyba's wings, befitting Bugsy's Bug-type Pokemon ethos perfectly.

Zak clipped the case shut in his hands, casually sliding it in his backpack. He then glanced down at the PokŽgear attached to his wrist. It was slightly cumbersome and heavy at first, but he was sure he would get used to it and it's sheer wealth of features made it a convincing trade-off.

It wasn't long before Zak began to see the first glimmering rays of sunlight up ahead, signaling the exit of Union Cave and the start of Route Thirty-two. As he made his way closer to the exit he smiled and recalled the memories and friends he had made in Azalea Town during his stay.

Alex had explained that he would stay and continue his training, whilst Tori was heading to Goldenrod City in an attempt to compete for a Plain Badge and come one step closer to qualifying for the Johto Pokemon League. Perhaps, one day, she and Zak would even end up battling each other.

As Zak stepped out into the daylight, beams of sun raining down on his face, he could hear a distant roar from deep within the dark tunnels of Union Cave.

"See you soon, Blackrock." Zak whispered quietly, almost convinced that the ancient Pokemon could hear his words.

With his final farewell being said, Zak began his descent down from the mountaintop and into the valley below, where Route Thirty-two was waiting.

* * *

Hidden beneath the protective glare of a pair of dark, metallic sunglasses, two emerald-green eyes scanned the warm, blue sky and admired the serenity of the clouds which danced so elegantly in the wind.

These eyes belonged to a young boy, no older than fourteen years of age. He had long, straight hair which flowed sparingly over his forehead and was tied back into a single ponytail which arched down to his shoulders, it's colour an unusual mix of pale-blue hues and shades. He wore a plain, black t-shirt and white denim jeans, both of which were separated by one black leather belt which was home to six Pokeballs. His clothes were all slightly tattered and had clearly been worn for a long time, with the occasional grass stain and fabric tear showing here and there.

"Yep," the boy sighed, his head resting on his arms as he watched the world pass him by. "it's great and all to just lie back and relax sometimes, but..."

He paused, turning to his companion who lay on the rocky ledge just below him.

"If we're ever going to become as legendary as the Black Arachnid we're going to have to pick up on our game plan."

The boy's companion gave no response, simply continuing to stare vacantly ahead.

"I can see it now," the boy continued, turning back to the sky and holding his hands out in an attempt to mimic a television set. "Legendary thieves - Zeni and Slowpoke!"

The boy's grin seemed to consume him for a moment as an imaginary news scene played out in his mind.

"We still don't know how he managed it," the boy acted out a fantasy woman's voice as best he could. "but the legendary Pokemon thief Zeni has us beat again!"

The boy's partner, a short, pink Pokemon which walked on all fours and had a long, winding tail turned to it's trainer and watched him blankly before yawning as the human continued to speak.

"All we can tell for certain is that he's clearly very intelligent and, if reports are to be confirmed, extremely handsome, too."

The boy began to giggle uncontrollably for a moment as his imagination got the better of him, and it was only until he felt the sting of somebody's foot landing on his stomach that he gasped and fell silent.

Zak slipped as his foot lost contact with solid ground and he was sent tumbling towards the rocky mountain floor headfirst. His new reactions allowed him to catch himself and roll without suffering too much damage, but there was minimal space on the flat outcrop he'd just fallen on from a few feet away.

He got to his feet and turned around to see a young boy rolling on the floor and gasping for breath whilst a small Pokemon at his side stared at the trainer curiously.

"Uh," Zak stammered, not entirely sure what was going on, though he did his best to fill in the pieces in his mind. "sorry! Are you okay?"

The boy stopped rolling for a moment and climbed to his feet, still taking deep breaths as he did so.

"Slow?" the Pokemon beside him yawned, checking to make sure it's master was okay.

"I, uh, yeah," the boy coughed, beginning to regain his composure. "I think so, I just-" He paused, then glared at Zak. "What the Hell's your problem, kid!?"

Zak nervously took a step back as the boy's glare became ever more intimidating.

"I'm sorry, I just didn't see you down there!" Zak insisted.

"What, you think that just because you're a trainer you can just walk all over people!?" the boy ranted, stepping towards Zak as his Pokemon just sat there watching the two of them.

"Look, I'm sorry," Zak began. "but I really don't have time for this, I have to-"

"Woah-woah-woah." the stranger interrupted, walking over and placing an arm in front of Zak's path of exit towards the lower mountain. "You think you can just step on me and then walk away!?"

"It-" Zak stammered, backing off. "it's not like that, I just-"

Before Zak knew what was going on the boy in front of him took a Pokeball in his hand and thrust it in the trainer's face.

"I'm a man of honour, kid!" the boy exclaimed, walking towards Zak and cornering him against the cliff face. "And if I am to reclaim my honour then I must defeat you in a battle!"

"Alright, that's it." Zak sighed, shoving the boy to the side and beginning to jump down the mountain once more, resuming his journey. "I don't have time for this. And stop calling me that!"

The boy watched Zak leave, looking dumbstruck. He considered the argument for a moment, before replacing the Pokeball back on his belt. He turned over to his Pokemon and picked it up, slinging it onto his shoulder.

"Let's go, Slowpoke." he said, beginning to descend the mountain. "Nobody shames the legendary thief Zeni and gets away with it!"

"Slow..." Slowpoke yawned before drifting off to sleep on it's trainer's shoulder.

* * *

Zak sighed as he watched the sky begin to turn a dark orange hue. The sun was setting behind the mountain he was currently descending and night was swiftly approaching. He had spent the entire day making the long hike and now he was finally closing in on the foot of the mountain, just a few more yards further down the rocky trail.

The trainer paused for a moment and took a sip from the bottle of water attached to his belt. From far below where he stood, glimmering in the distance, were the lights of some small structure standing alone in the wilderness. A quick inspection of his current location on Zak's PokŽgear revealed that it was in fact, a Pokemon Centre. Zak admired the building's convenient location and his timing seemed almost too good to be true. Without a moment's hesitation he resumed his trek down the mountain, eager to rest his weary feet.

Before he had gone too far though, the trainer paused once again, hearing something. Zak peered towards his left, a constant stream of loud thuds and scrapes hitting his ears as if something heavy was rolling down the mountain. Quickly but cautiously, Zak made his way closer to the source of the noises, only to be confronted by a familiar figure lying in a dirty heap.

"Uh..." Zak muttered, staring at the boy lying in front of him. "Are you okay?"

"I..." the boy coughed, raising a shaky arm and falling back to the floor as he feebly attempted to get back to his feet. "I think so..."

Zak immediately recognised the boy to be the one he had accidentally stepped on earlier this morning.

"You don't look like it." the trainer said plainly, walking over and offering the boy a hand. "What were you doing, anyway?"

"That's none of your damned business!" the boy snapped, before quickly regaining his composure. He took Zak's hand but soon began to stumble and gripped onto the older trainer's shoulder to regain his footing. "I, uh, I think I hurt something..."

"Where's your Pokemon?" Zak asked, helping the boy to keep his balance.

"Poke..." a tired voice came from the other side of a large boulder. The Pokemon stared up at the two humans and yawned at them, seemingly embarrassed to be associated with either of them. Zak grinned at the creature - it seemed to be rather more intelligent than it's trainer.

"I'll help you to the Pokemon Centre," Zak explained, beginning to help the boy down the mountain. "they'll have someone who can take a look at your leg for you..."

"...Thanks..." the boy muttered, almost as if he was speechless.

The three of them slowly made their way down the mountain without a word being said. Zak didn't really know what to say and the silence was uncomfortable, but he hated opening his mouth and putting his foot in it, so for this reason it was bearable. After a few minutes they were back on level ground, the soft, green grass a welcome change to the hard, unforgiving rock they had been travelling along previously.

"Why are you doing this?" the boy leaning on Zak's shoulder finally spoke up, eying the trainer out of the corner of his eye. "After all the things I said to you earlier today..."

Zak just smiled in response to this.

"Come on, we're nearly there..."

The double doors of the Pokemon Centre slid open, bathing the two trainers in a warm and welcoming light. Zak could make out a nurse sitting behind the desk straight ahead and assumed she would be the best person to inform of the situation.

"Oh my goodness!" a worryingly familiar voice gasped as Zak and the boy approached the desk where the nurse was stationed. Zak was afraid to look up, but there she was, right in front of his eyes - Nurse Joy. "What happened?"

"N... Nurse Joy..." the boy leaning against Zak's shoulder spoke up, and threw himself towards the counter, gripping the desk firmly as if he was worried gravity itself would rise up and throw him back down. "I know it's too late for me, but... I'm just glad I could see your beautiful face... One more time..."

Zak glanced at the boy with an eyebrow raised, whilst the nurse simply laughed nervously.

"I think he sprained his ankle or something." Zak coughed, trying to avoid the awkward path this conversation was turning down. "Do you think you can help him, Nurse Joy?"

"I'll have Chansey run a quick scan." the woman replied, smiling warmly as she pressed a button underneath the counter. "Don't worry, I think you'll live."

"Every second I look at you, Joy," the boy continued, grinning. "makes me feel ten times stronger."

Zak groaned as he heard this, then quickly regained his composure when he saw the nurse looking towards his direction.

"Did you need your Pokemon healed, sir?" she asked politely, assuming this boy's injury wasn't the only reason Zak was stopping at the centre.

"Uh, no thanks." Zak replied, waving sheepishly. His Pokemon had been fully restored at Azalea Town's Pokemon Centre and were ready to go at any time; he, however, could use a good night's sleep. "I wouldn't mind a bed for the night, though."

"Of course." Joy nodded, handing him a clipboard and allowing the trainer to log his details for the person count tonight.

Just as Zak was scribbling down his name and time of logging in, he noticed a pair of Chansey: two strange, almost egg-shaped Pokemon, waddling along like penguins from the back room. With a happy cry of "Chansey!!", they grabbed the injured boy, who was still gazing at Nurse Joy, and threw him down onto a portable stretcher they had brought with them. The boy did his best to complain, though his efforts were futile, and soon he was sent speeding down the hall, screaming loudly in protest.

"Slow?" the boy's Slowpoke called out, making it's presence known.

Both Zak and Nurse Joy peered down at the creature, looking rather puzzled.

"Ah, he forgot his Slowpoke..." Zak mumbled.

"Don't you worry, Zak." Joy responded in her characteristically happy way. "I'll take it to him. In the meantime," she pressed a few key commands into the computer at her side and passed a printed ticket over to him. "this is your bunk number."

"Ah, thanks." Zak took the ticket and eyed it curiously.

"It's late; you should be getting to bed." the woman insisted, picking up the Slowpoke in her arms, which seemed rather thrilled by the female attention. "I'll make sure your friend is okay."

"Oh, he is-" Zak stopped himself mid-sentence, then after a moment's thought, continued. "Thanks, Nurse Joy."

* * *

The boy lay down on the stretcher, his light blue trench-coat and sunglasses discarded on the side counter of the operating room. The two Chansey had long since disappeared and he was alone, staring up at the ceiling with a clearly anxious look on his face.

He jumped slightly as he heard the door click open and Nurse Joy walked in, his Slowpoke looking happy in her arms.

"Ah, Nurse Joy!" he laughed casually, hopping off the stretcher and taking his Slowpoke from her as she offered it. "I'm really feeling a lot better now, thanks!"

He grinned nervously as he spoke, placing Slowpoke on his shoulder.

"It's amazing how much a little rest can help you." he said as Nurse Joy looked at him, obviously amused.

"Yes, you seem a lot better now," she agreed, pushing him back onto the stretcher as the two Chansey reappeared in the doorway. "but I think it's best if you stay overnight. Besides, it's dark outside and there isn't a village for miles."

"Oh, but I-" the boy coughed, struggling to break free of the nurse's hold. "I'm a night person - nocturnal, yeah, that's it." He glanced around the room, feeling a drop of sweat rolling across his forehead. "I'm like the human Noctowl. And I'm really feeling a lot better so we should be going-"

"Chansey?" Joy called over and the two Chansey approached, grinning down at the boy in front of them.

He swallowed nervously.

"I, uh... Honestly..."

He stared up at his captors and one single thought entered his mind:

'Why me?'

* * *

Storm clouds raged overhead as torrential rain splashed down across the ancient citadel of Blackthorn City. The rain crashed against one boy's fiery, red hair and thunder boomed in the distance.

The city was completely empty, with no sign of life at all. Thunderstorms in this area of Johto were particularly common and the residents knew that wandering outside during these events was not a sound idea.

This boy, however, held no fear of the weather.

He watched with an expressionless gaze as the rain pounded onto the outside walls of the Blackthorn City Gym, flowing down across the elegant carvings of the stone gargoyles and statues which littered the Gym's front courtyard. Lightning flashed, illuminating the grand sign which hung proudly above the front, double doors and proclaimed menacingly: 'Leader: Clair'.

The boy pushed open the doors of the Gym and stepped into the darkness, one single Pokeball clutched in his hand.

The danger of the rain now gone, the boy removed the dark, brown cloak which shrouded his body. Underneath this a familiar suit of customised armour could be seen.

Knite made his way to the Gym's central stadium, where two torches illuminated the medieval stage. Opposite him stood an exquisitely carved chair, images of different dragons crawling across it's stone.

And there, sat upon her throne, was Clair. Blackthorn City Gym Leader and...

"Knite?" the woman asked, piercing the silence as she rose to her feet. "It's been years!"

The woman rushed down to greet the boy who refused to acknowledge even a smile of recognition.

"By the looks of things my little brother isn't here for a friendly reunion, am I right?"

"The brother you once knew died long ago." he replied, removing her hand from his shoulder.

Clair was quite a tall woman with obvious, muscular features, yet still remained quite feminine. She was dressed in a long, flowing red cape and a black wet-suit which resembled a bikini, and her silvery-blue hair was left up in two short pigtails. In her right hand she held a long, black whip, which was presumably a great boost in helping to train unruly Pokemon.

"Exactly the kind of thing I thought you'd say." Clair sighed, walking over to the far side of the stadium.

"I've collected the eight badges of Kanto," Knite explained, holding the Pokeball in front of him. "and now to finish my Johto collection I need to win one last battle."

"Do you really think you can beat me so easily, Knite?" Clair asked, turning on the spot and readying a Pokeball of her own. "You're not the only one who has grown up these past four years."

"You're right, Clair." Knite answered back, his expression remaining unchanged. "But ever since that day when I travelled to Pallet Town to obtain my first Pokemon I have trained harder than any other trainer on this planet."

"Do you honestly believe that?"

"I know that."

Clair gave a coy smile. The boy had indeed changed from the energetic thirteen-year old she once knew. He seemed so different now - cold, distant, determined. But the woman knew that nobody ever stayed the same, no matter how much some people wished they would.

"Very well." she said finally, throwing the Pokeball down into the stadium. "Then show me what you've learned!"

* * *

The next morning daylight slowly roused Zak from his sleep. Half-awake, he could hear the hustle and bustle of the Pokemon Centre wandering all around him. It was fairly noisy here, but Zak had an uncanny ability to block out sound. Intrusive light, though, was something altogether more difficult to ignore.

The trainer hopped off his bunk and rummaged through the backpack which lay at the foot of his bed. He would often find himself playing with the functions of his PokŽgear out of idle boredom, but it was now becoming a true addiction. He would check the time and analyse important cities and towns with the map function as if he were a man obsessed.

Zak paused for a moment, suddenly feeling rather empty. It had been five months ago when he left his friends and family behind on his small island home and travelled to Johto to find out the truth about his father. Despite his current success in the Johto League and his discovery of the Watchers of Raikou, Zak still had no idea where his father was. He sighed as doubt began to creep into his mind, and he wondered if it was too late; if Team Rocket had already gotten to him...

Shaking his head clear of negative thoughts, Zak reached for one of the Pokeballs attached to his belt - Torch always managed to make him smile somehow. But, much to Zak's horror, he realised his belt was devoid of Pokeballs.

The trainer's eyes widened and he stood up like a shot. Frantically, he searched his backpack and the small cabin where he slept. He looked underneath the bed, on the windowsill and in the bedside draw, yet he found nothing. His heart beat faster and faster as a horrible realisation fell upon him:

His Pokemon had been stolen.

Without a moment's hesitation, Zak slung the backpack over his shoulder and gathered his things before drawing back the curtain which divided his quarters from the rest of the Pokemon Centre. Ignoring the overwhelming urge to sprint to the front desk, Zak hurriedly made his way over, trying his best not to bump into any other trainers on his way. His PokŽgear beeped as he went - 9AM. He'd overslept a little - perhaps they were taken during the early morning?

Within moments Zak was standing in front of the desk, behind him the automatic doors continued to slide open as new trainers went about their business coming and going from the centre as they pleased.

Zak was, therefore, very disappointed when all he saw staring back at him when he reached the reception desk was the face of a Chansey.

"Chansey!" it chimed, it's voice resonating like a soft bell.

"Chansey, um," Zak began, not entirely sure what to say. "look, is Nurse Joy around? It's an emergency."

"Chansey." the Pokemon replied. Zak's face contorted as he considered how to continue the rather one-sided conversation.

"Well, my Pokemon y'see, they're, well..." he groaned, burying his head in his arms as he leaned against the counter. "I think they've been stolen."

"Chansey?" Chansey muttered, peering at Zak with interest.

"Argh!" Zak yelled, his patience beginning to wear thin. "Can you please just call Nurse Joy over!?"

"Chansey!!" Chansey smiled back.

Zak gripped the edge of the desk tightly, worried that he was about to go insane.

"Chansey!" Chansey continued, pointing down the hallway directly behind the desk and stepping to the side to allow Zak entry to the restricted area of the Pokemon Centre.

"Thanks, Chansey!" Zak grinned, giving a thumbs up to the Pokemon, who just grinned back in response. "I owe you one."

Without a moment to lose Zak dashed through the corridor, calling out as he went.

"Nurse Joy! Nurse Joy!"

It took only a minute or so to reach the end of the hall, where he noticed one large sign split into two pictures on the top of the wall located directly ahead of him. Currently, the lower picture, showing a large "plus" sign was illuminated by a green backlight. Above this was a faded off-red light with the image of a syringe marked on it. Below both of these signs was one arrow which pointed directly to Zak's left and towards one plain white doorway with the words 'Operating Room' inscribed above it.

Zak didn't even bother to think of the consequences as he burst through the door, only to discover Nurse Joy standing over the boy he had helped yesterday, a rather amused look on her face.

"Nurse Joy?" he asked, making his way slowly into the room. Zak's eyes trailed down to the boy who lay on the stretcher, snoring quietly. The boy's Slowpoke was sat on top of his stomach, also asleep.

"Oh, good morning, Zak." she replied, winking as he approached her.

Zak flushed a light shade of pink before continuing.

"Uh, look, I have a bit of a problem..." he began.

"Your Pokemon are missing?" the nurse hazarded a guess, prompting Zak to look very confused.

"Um, well, yes, actually..."

Nurse Joy smiled again, then produced six Pokeballs from her pocket.

"One Magmar, one Nidoqueen, one Tauros, one Fearow, one Ditto and one spare Great ball, am I right?"

Zak's mouth hung wide open and he quickly shut it before the woman in front of him noticed his idiotic stare.

"H-how did you...?" the boy stammered.

"The Chansey discovered that this boy had six Pokeballs hidden in his jacket, as well as the six on his belt." the woman explained the story. "That, coupled with the fact that his ankle was never injured in the first place..."

"So he..." Zak paused for a moment. "He tricked me!?"

"That's what it looks like."

As Nurse Joy spoke, the boy on the stretcher began to stir from his sleep, letting out a long yawn in unison with his Pokemon.

"Uh, ah..." he grunted, turning to the side and causing the Slowpoke to roll onto it's back. "Wh-what time is it...?"

Zak glared at the boy, his fist clenched, though the calming presence of Nurse Joy kept him from doing anything he may later regret.

"Uh-oh..." the thief muttered, suddenly realising his predicament.

"Good morning!" both Joy and Zak greeted him, Zak's voice edged with dry sarcasm.

The boy sprang to his feet and edged towards the back of the room, taking Slowpoke with him. He watched as Nurse Joy passed the six Pokeballs on to Zak and realised that his plan had ended in failure.

"Dammit..." he sighed. "I always pick the wrong times to sleep late..."

"Slowpoke." Slowpoke added, helpfully.

"You should be ashamed, young man!" Joy scolded the boy, moving closer to him. "Trying to steal Pokemon is no laughing matter!"

"Trust me, lady," the thief retorted, gritting his teeth. "you don't know the half of it."

"I know I didn't want to battle you before," Zak interrupted, taking a step forward. "but now it's personal. If you want a battle, I'll give you a battle, kid!"

"Now why would I want to battle," the thief replied. "when I know I could beat you easily?"

"Talk is cheap!" Zak glared at the boy, his fist clenched, ready to throw down his most powerful Pokemon in order to teach this thief a lesson.

"You know what?" the boy conceded, pushing his back against the cold, metal wall of the operating room. "You're right. Slowpoke, Icy Wind now!"

Before anyone could react Slowpoke let out a deep yawn, filling the room with an icy chill and shrouding the entire area with a dense, white fog. Zak could hear frantic footsteps amid the harsh, shrieking wind and he turned too late to catch the boy who was already sprinting down the Pokemon Centre's corridor without a second glance.

After a few moments the attack died down and Zak and Nurse Joy were left alone in the operating room feeling very cold.

"Dammit!" Zak hissed, punching into his palm in frustration.

"Don't you worry, Zak." Nurse Joy reassured the trainer. "I don't think he'll be bothering this place again. And besides, you've got your Pokemon back safe and sound."

"Thanks, Nurse Joy..." Zak sighed. "I promise I won't let these guys out of my sight again."

The woman smiled, a loving trainer always a happy sight for her to see.

* * *

After a few more hours of getting ready and stocking up on supplies in the Pokemon Centre, Zak was soon ready to get back on the road. It would take another three days or so to reach Violet City, which was now directly north of the trainer's current location.

Nurse Joy had explained to Zak that the journey was quite a sight to behold - a vast expanse of ocean trailed alongside the northern route and was a prime fishing spot - possibly a great place to see some new Water-type Pokemon and get in a few practice battles before the Violet City tournament began two weeks from now.

And so Zak resumed his journey, a new, even more powerful bond now formed between him and his Pokemon. But Zak was unaware that he was being watched and would be for the remainder of his journey to Violet City - for behind him, hiding amongst the trees and shrubbery mere yards away, was an all too familiar face...

"I'll get you back for this, Zak..." a voice whispered with a hint of anger rising in it's tone. "Nobody humiliates Zeni, the legendary thief, and gets away with it..."


	16. Journey To Violet City! Pocket Explosion

"Good morning to all you local listeners out there!" a cheerful, though somewhat hyperactive voice bellowed through the earphone speaker and into Zak's ear.

He had been sat here in this same spot for almost an hour now and the radio function of his Pokegear had truly proven it's worth during this short space of time.

The boy sighed for a moment before he felt a slight tug on the line of his fishing rod. Suddenly, almost without thinking, his body jerked upwards and he immediately began reeling the line in closer to shore.

"Alright!" Zak yelled with exhilaration high in his voice. "About time I caught something!"

"Now just go easy on it, son." the fisherman beside Zak commented as Zak tugged furiously from side to side, his feet grinding into the soft mud of the shore. "Don't go too fast, else you'll lose it for sure!"

"I know, I know." Zak mumbled, his heart pounding against his chest.

Zak had been offered to try and catch something with the fisherman's rod and his earlier tuition was clearly paying off. For the majority of his time sitting here Zak hardly saw any movement in the water, though the fisherman had insisted that the quieter a spot was, the better.

He reeled the line in more, the catch now resisting less and less as it moved closer to the shoreline until finally...

"Slow?" the Slowpoke yawned at Zak, spitting the lure out of it's mouth and then proceeding to lie down, obviously exhausted. Zak's face seemed to turn an incredibly pale hue as the realisation dawned on him.

"Dammit!!" he yelled, turning round on the spot and kicking the boy in the gut.

The thief gasped for breath, then slumped down into a weary heap as he released Zak's backpack from his grasp.

"I'm really getting sick of this, kid!" Zak cried, glaring down at the boy with eyes like daggers.

He may have seemed a bit harsh on the boy - besides, he hadn't actually managed to steal anything; at least, not yet. But what he lacked in success he more than made up for in persistence. This was the third time in the past two days that he had made an attempt on stealing something of Zak's, which he claimed was revenge for humiliating him. Zak had put up with it to a degree so far, but now the boy had simply gone too far.

"Hey, uh," the fisherman stammered. "son, don't you think you're being a little hard on the boy? I mean, he's only-"

"He's been trying to steal my Pokemon for almost a week now!" Zak replied, rather agitated.

The thief stared up at Zak and sighed. He was finally caught.

"I've put up with it," Zak began. "but now I've had enough. If I find you trying to steal something from me ONE MORE TIME-!"

"Okay, okay!" the prisoner pleaded, getting onto his knees and bowing before the trainer that stood above him.

"Uh... Wha?" Zak muttered, not quite able to believe what he was seeing.

"I'm sorry, it won't happen again!" the boy insisted. "I've learnt my lesson! Not even a master thief such as myself could defeat your skills!"

Zak blushed slightly, then quickly remembered who he was talking to.

"Finally!" he sighed. "Thank you."

Zak turned to the fisherman and offered him the rod back.

"Thank you, sir, but I really must be going." he said calmly, before helping the thief to his feet. Without another word being said the trainer departed, leaving the two watching after him in silence.

* * *

"So, Axel Sestren and Tanner Rikomu, is it?" Nurse Joy double-checked the details of the two young men standing at the counter before her.

"That's right." the older boy nodded, turning his eyes away to the corner of the room. He faked a yawn and leaned against the desk, watching the rest of the competitors as they each waited their turn to sign up.

"Okay then, boys;" Joy continued, placing the memo flat onto the table as she spoke. "have you each decided on your Pokemon team?"

"Of course we have!" the younger boy, Tanner, snapped, only to feel the sting of a quick slap to the head from Axel.

"Don't mind him, we had a long walk." Axel chuckled without smiling.

"Then you both know that you may only enter two Pokemon each, right?" Joy confirmed. Axel simply nodded in reply.

"Here." Axel offered, placing his two Pokeballs onto the table whilst Tanner did the same.

"Thank you." the woman said, positioning the four Pokeballs onto a small contraption which vaguely resembled a Pokemon healing machine as she checked up on the details of each of the trainer's entries.

"Axel, you've entered a Magneton and a Porygon; and Tanner, you've chosen a Heracross and a Xatu." Joy read the information from the computer screen. "Is this okay?"

Axel nodded again.

"Okay, everything seems fine." she finally declared, handing the trainers back their Pokeballs along with a name tag for each of the competitors.

With few words Axel accepted the Pokeballs, handing two to Tanner as they made their way out of the Pokemon Centre, which for the rest of the week would be doubling as a check-in for the Violet City tournament.

"You'd better not get in my way out there, Axel." Tanner warned, refusing to even look at his ally. "I'm sure you know that I prefer to work alone."

"And just look where that got you." Axel retorted cooly, happy to know he was ruffling Tanner's feathers.

Tanner did his best to ignore the snide remark and quickly attempted to change the subject.

"Where is Vangard, anyway?" he pressed, monitoring the surrounding area where seemingly hundreds of trainers were either lining up to enter their details for the tournament or training for it on the sidewalks.

"Beats me." Axel admitted, resting his head on his arms as they walked through, the warmth of the afternoon sun beating down on his face. "It's only the first day of sign-ups, he'll be here."

"Does he honestly believe he can infiltrate the base?" Tanner scoffed, adjusting his sunglasses as they walked. "He's incredibly stupid. No wonder the Watchers died out."

"Or incredibly brave." Axel corrected his partner. "The first rule of battling is to never underestimate your opponent Tanner; I would've thought you'd learnt that by now."

"Don't talk to me like you're my superior, Axel!" Tanner hissed.

"But I am." Axel winked at the boy as he said this, a coy smile crossing his lips.

The two trainers made their way to the edge of town and towards the route that would take them to the Ruins of Alph. It was a large, open spot that was covered in shade by nearby patches of trees and was a perfect place to train.

"This spot will do nicely." Axel said as he admired his surroundings, breathing in the fresh, summer air.

"For you, maybe," Tanner snapped, walking in front of him. "but I prefer to train alone."

"Fine." Axel sighed, watching his young partner as he walked away from the clearing. "But if your arrogance causes us to lose I'm not going to be the one you'll have to answer to."

"That's fine be me." Tanner replied as his figure became engulfed by the shadows of the nearby foliage.

* * *

A warm, orange glow bathed the city as the sun began to set across the western horizon, nestled behind giant mountains and soft, ethereal clouds. The streets were still full of trainers and had been all day - people coming and going, the vast majority of them all discussing the upcoming Violet City Pokemon tournament, either as eager competitors or spectators.

The girl on the balcony sighed to herself as she watched the people below. Her apartment was very meagre and not at all what she was normally accustomed to, but it more than made up for it's shortfalls with this spectacular view. Every evening for the past three months the girl would step out to admire this view, every time wondering just what lay out there, beyond that western horizon the sun seemed to love so much.

"Maybe one day we'll find out..." the girl muttered to herself, turning to look at the six Pokeballs lying on her bed in the room behind her, the light of the setting sun casting a rich glow on the folds of the sheets.

It had been so long since she had last had a competitive Pokemon battle, and the very thought of entering in the upcoming tournament tied her stomach in knots. Yes, she had improved tremendously over the past four months, she could not deny that. But training against wild Pokemon and accepting the occasional challenge in the field was nothing compared to what awaited her in this tournament.

She'd watched them all day - the competitors coming and going. Yes, most of them were just your average battlers, but some were a truly terrifying prospect, traveling from all over the Johto region just to enter.

But it wasn't as if she was alone... He would be there...

The girl forced a smile, then quickly turned and headed back inside the apartment before the lure of the balcony view overpowered her again. While seemingly uneventful, today had been a good day for her and now she knew what she had to do.

She knew she could battle with the best of them.

Grabbing the six Pokeballs which lay on the bed and clipping them to her belt, she hurried towards the front door, snatching her keys from the bedside cabinet as she went.

"You can do this," she muttered under her breath. "Whitney Akane."

* * *

"Pick, Whirlwind!" Zak cried, pointing straight at his opponent's Pokemon.

"Muk," the boy's opponent, a young man in his early twenties with spiky, brown hair and a muscular frame yelled back. "stand your ground!"

Zak's Fearow swooped high into the air with incredible speed, sending out shock-waves which rustled the leaves of the trees that stood nearby. The bird spread it's gigantic wings and began to clap them together, forming a gigantic pulse of air which blasted the slimy Pokemon off the ground and up towards the sky.

"Oh no!" Zak's opponent gasped, unable to formulate a countermeasure.

"Now, Pick!" Zak ordered, pointing directly at the rival Pokemon. "Use Drill Peck on Muk!"

Pick obeyed, swooping down towards the target and jabbing into it's soft, slippery core with immense power. Muk let out a groan of pain before the Fearow blasted one last Gust attack and sent the creature slamming into the grass below.

"Muk, return!" the young trainer called, retracting the creature into it's Pokeball before making his way over to Zak.

"That was a great battle, kid." he congratulated him warmly, extending a hand. Zak shook it gratefully.

"Thanks," he replied. "your Muk was pretty great too, if my Fearow wasn't so fast we would've been done for."

"I'm sure you'll do great in the Violet City tournament." the man continued, smiling. "But I really should be going. It's getting pretty late and I've got a long journey towards Azalea Town."

With that the trainer headed down the southern route, being sure to wish Zak good luck before he left. Zak certainly appreciated the practice - it was always helpful to keep himself on his toes.

Zak admired his surroundings - the setting sun illuminated the pathway and cast huge shadows onto the tall buildings of Violet City which lay just beyond the hill to the north. It truly had been a great day - he'd gotten a lot of practice battles and managed to shake that thief off his trail, and he was now mere minutes away from entering Violet City and signing in for the upcoming Pokemon tournament.

But Zak knew that wasn't the only reason he was here.

The trainer pondered just exactly how he was going to infiltrate the local Team Rocket base on his own as he continued the walk up the hill and towards the city, trainers passing him by as he went.

He wondered whether this was the base Tanner was assigned to and if so, perhaps Scizor was still being held there? He still felt so guilty about losing his father's Pokemon to the likes of a common thief and if there was anything he could do he was determined to get it back. Scizor may not have liked having him as a trainer but surely it had to be better than being owned by Team Rocket? Even if he never got to use Scizor in battle the least he could do was reclaim it for his father.

His father... Perhaps even his father was being held there? Zak began to grow nervous - he was still in the dark about his father's whereabouts, even after months of travelling to try and find him. He felt somewhat guilty about entering for the tournament. He was going to try his best and try to have some fun, but his first priority was to find that base...

Or perhaps he wouldn't even need to look! Tanner wanted his sword as well as Scizor. Maybe he was still looking for him, and if that was true then he just might lead Zak right to the base.

'Perfect!' Zak thought, grinning to himself. 'I'll get to compete in the tournament and find the base all at the same time! This is going to be great...'

Eventually Zak arrived at the edge of Violet City, trainers still continuing to come and go. He noticed that much of the city was covered in signs and billboards, all pointing to the location of the upcoming tournament sign-ups.

'This must be a pretty big tournament if it's so well publicised.' Zak thought to himself as he admired one poster which showed an artist's rendition of a Pokemon battle with two trainers and four Pokemon fighting over the image of a Pokeball positioned in the centre. 'And all these trainers... They must be competing, too.'

Trainers had become more and more frequent as he had gotten closer to Violet City. Whether they were trainers or spectators, all seemed to show an interest in the tournament. It had been quite some time since he had last seen such a huge city. Though Violet was nowhere near as grand or as large as Goldenrod, it was still an impressive sight to behold, especially after having been living on the outskirts of Azalea Town for months.

"Well, it says to register at the Pokemon Centre up on Nidoran Boulevard..." Zak mused, going over the details of the tournament poster. "I'd better get going."

Zak unfolded the leaflet Dalton had given him back in Azalea Town, making sure to follow the directions. It was a long walk through the city before he reached the correct Pokemon Centre and now the stars had begun to make themselves known, though the sun hadn't entirely left the horizon.

Before him stood a queue of about twenty people, all trainers from the looks of things, all of them holding two Pokeballs each. The Pokemon Centre was extremely busy, most of the trainers there waiting patiently in order to sign up for the tournament. Fortunately there was no queue for the Pokemon healing machine which, Zak realised upon his approach, was manned by a familiar face.

"Nurse Joy!" Zak greeted, a sign of exasperation in his voice. "How are you?"

"Oh, good evening, sir!" the woman replied, smiling. "Would you like your Pokemon healed?"

Zak nodded as he handed the nurse his five Pokeballs.

"Please."

"No problem at all!" Joy laughed, taking the five Pokeballs and placing them onto the machine beside her. The contraption glowed with a soft light as she activated a button on it's side.

"So you're not here for the tournament?" she asked, turning to face Zak on the other side of the counter.

"Well, yes, I am, actually." Zak responded. "I just wanted to reserve a place to stay tonight first, if you have any spaces."

"We have plenty." Joy explained.

Zak wasn't surprised at this. Looking around he realised just how huge this Pokemon Centre was - it was by far the biggest one he'd stayed in for a while. It consisted of three floors which were made accessible by two identical, spiraling staircases positioned at either side of the central lobby, which was where he was stood now.

Further behind the counter was where Zak presumed the main medical centre was situated, though he couldn't be certain, as it was clearly marked off as a restricted area. To his right were rows upon rows of bunk areas, most of them crowded by excited trainers showing off their Pokemon in preparation of the tournament. To his left were several arcade machines, television booths and videophones, along with the queue of people who were registering for the tournament.

The queue itself was divided into three booths, each manned by one tournament official - all three of which were also nurses, who Zak assumed were called Joy, too.

Zak sighed before asking.

"So, how big is your family?" he finally questioned. "Uh, I mean, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Hm, well," Joy thought about it for a moment. "my immediate family is pretty small, actually. I mean, just my three sisters and I, and of course our parents."

"Right." Zak groaned.

"But we have a lot of cousins!" Nurse Joy laughed casually. "Well, your Pokemon all seem fine. Don't work them too hard"

The woman handed Zak back the five Pokeballs, which he accepted gratefully after scribbling down his personal details in order to stay for the night.

"Zak, is it?" the nurse double-checked. "So do you have a partner yet, Zak?"

"A..." Zak stammered, looking up at her awkwardly. "Partner?"

"For the tournament." Joy explained.

"Why would I need a partner?" he asked, his face clearly showing confusion.

"Because it's a double battle tournament, of course!" the woman answered, obviously shocked by his lack of knowledge. "Didn't you know that?"

"Uh..." Zak murmered. "No. No, I didn't."

Zak's carefully laid plans seemed to shatter in slow motion as he played the events over in his head. Dalton never said anything about this being a double battle tournament!

He checked the leaflet Dalton had given him back in Azalea Town, being sure to examine the fine print at the bottom. Sure enough, it was a double battle tournament: two trainers, four Pokemon total.

"Argh!" Zak screamed in a hushed voice, not sure what to say. "I need a partner? Can't I just battle on my own!?"

Nurse Joy shook her head.

"No can do I'm afraid, Zak." she said simply. "But don't worry, there are lots of trainers looking for a partner. You should try asking around the Pokemon Centre."

It wasn't so much the thought of finding a partner that worried him, but more the fact that if he were to sneak off mid-tournament and attempt to infiltrate Team Rocket's base, he'd be letting his team down. Zak was quite happy to throw the tournament in order to find his father and rescue Scizor, but a partner wouldn't be too thrilled at the idea.

"This..." he sighed, staring down at the floor. "This complicates things..."

"Don't worry, Zak." Nurse Joy insisted. "Like I said, lots of trainers are looking for partners. And if you're worried about battling with a partner there's still a week left before the tournament begins - you'll get lots of practice."

"Uh," Zak turned, accepting his bunk number from the nurse as she offered it to him. "thanks Nurse Joy, I'll see what I can do."

"You're welcome!" she called out after him as he wandered towards his bunk, staring down gloomily at the ticket in his hands.

Zak eventually made his way to his bunk, pushing the curtain away and stepping inside. He sat on the bed and sighed heavily, kicking his shoes off and placing the backpack at his side. He stared at the square-paneled ceiling above and watched the light bulbs flicker as he thought his predicament over.

"What am I going to do now?" he asked himself, leaning his head on his arms as he listened to the rush of footsteps echoing throughout the Pokemon Centre.

"Well, that's obvious, right?" a familiar voice replied as a figure stepped past the curtain and into the bunk.

Zak jolted up on his bed with a start and immediately turned to face the intruder.

"Oh no!" he cried as he realised who had just entered. "Not you again!"

The thief outside Union Cave was back again, grinning at him like a lunatic. He seemed a lot less sneaky this time around, though; almost as if this was all part of his plan - which, if Zak guessed correctly, probably wasn't planned out all that well.

"What are YOU doing here?" Zak questioned, stepping up from the bed, his hand fastened to the hilt of his sword just in case.

"Now is that any way to greet your partner?" the thief snapped back, removing his sunglasses and glaring down at Zak with a condescending look in his bright green, emerald eyes.

"Partner?" Zak repeated, then laughed. "Uh, I'm good on my own, thanks."

"That's not what I heard Nurse Joy say." the boy replied, his tongue as sharp as ever.

"What the-" Zak stammered, his voice suddenly rising in anger. "Have you been eavesdropping on me the whole time!?"

"You're not exactly subtle, you know."

Zak groaned at this, then suddenly reached out and grabbed the thief by the neck, shoving him against the wall.

"Listen, you," he hissed. "I'm not here for kicks and you're not getting anything from me, so back off."

"Right, right," the thief coughed, trying to keep his breaths short and rapid. "but that's not why I'm here..."

Zak loosened his grip on the boy and stepped away, though being sure to keep a close eye on him still.

"Then what?" he interrogated the boy, obviously mistrusting of him still. "I can't believe you go from trying to steal my Pokemon to wanting to help me."

"I have my reasons." the thief said cooly. "Besides, you're not exactly in a position to choose right now. You need a partner, and I'm right here."

"How do I know I can trust you?" Zak asked.

"You don't." the thief answered. "But you can't trust anyone else, either. Besides, it's not like I'm going to be holding onto your Pokemon. They're kept by the tournament officials at all times."

Zak was silent for a moment as he considered his options. As he stood there, wondering whether to accept this offer, he saw the boy's hand reach out to him.

"My name's Zenith." he said simply. "Zenith Ainsborough."

He retracted his hand quickly, blushing ever so slightly.

"Well, that's my 'real' name," he added. "but my friends call me Zeni."

Zak smiled at this - were these the first truthful words he'd heard from the young thief? He was not in a position to ignore such an offer, and he knew he had to be careful, but he was determined not to make the same mistakes he had made with Whitney. If he was to succeed in his quest to find his father, he had to be open - at least to some people.

"I'm Zak." he greeted. "Zak Vangard."

The two trainers shook hands and a brief silence fell upon them. However, it wasn't an awkward silence. In fact, it could be described as a somewhat reassuring one.


	17. Enroll! Violet City Tournament!

"Slow..." the voice of Zeni's Slowpoke hung in the air as both he and Zak waited in line to sign up for the Violet City Pokemon tournament. Both Zeni and Slowpoke shared a yawn, causing Zak to chuckle at the likenesses between a Pokemon and it's trainer.

"Yup, being a trainer can be pretty boring sometimes." Zeni mused. As he spoke a young girl wearing a short, denim skirt cut to her upper thighs walked past towards the main desk of the Pokemon Centre, causing the boy's eyes to follow. "Then again..."

Zak sighed. The two of them hadn't spoken much but they seemed to get on quite well, though Zeni was easily distracted by certain things. The boy's Slowpoke lay on top of his left shoulder, seemingly asleep as it rarely moved, save for the occasional yawn.

As the two trainers waited for the queue to shorten, Zak held his PokŽdex up towards the creature.

"Slowpoke;" a robotic, monotone voice made itself known from the device's speaker. "the dopey Pokemon. This Pokemon can often forget what it's doing and is often found at the edges of small lakes and streams."

"That's an interesting Pokemon you've got." Zak commented, reading up on Slowpoke's technical statistics from the main screen of the PokŽdex.

"Thanks," Zeni replied. "he may not look it but Slowpoke here is quite the cunning thief."

"Really?" Zak questioned this logic, since, according to his PokŽdex, Slowpoke was one of the slowest Pokemon species that inhabited the Johto region.

"Oh yeah," Zeni continued, laughing cockily as he spoke. "this one time he and I were on a job and we were cornered by this huge gang of Sneasel!"

As the boy spoke he spread his arms out wide in an attempt to recreate this mental scenario.

"It was thirty against two," he explained, eyes wide with euphoria as he recalled such a great victory. "and I yelled 'Slowpoke, use Sandstorm!' and this huge cloud of sand came busting right out of the ground and swallowed us up in it."

"Uh... Huh...?" Zak was shocked at Zeni's story. Slowpoke was a Water-type Pokemon and it seemed very unusual for it to learn Sandstorm, a Ground-type move.

"Then Slowpoke used it's Teleport and-"

"Woah-woah-woah." Zak interrupted the boy this time. "There's no way Slowpoke can learn Teleport."

"Of course it can, it's part Psychic!" Zeni protested.

"But..." Zak looked Slowpoke up and down. "It's so... Well, slow."

Slowpoke simply yawned at Zak before returning to sleep.

"Like I said, master thief." Zeni chuckled, winking at Zak.

Zak was of course skeptical of his partner's claims, but he had no time to consider this as Zeni tugged on his arm, leading him to the desk as they were now the first pair in the queue.

Sure enough, Nurse Joy was there to greet the two trainers, being sure to prompt them for their details and entry Pokemon.

"Two Pokemon each, huh?" Zak muttered to himself as he wrote down his details. "Then I'll choose..."

The trainer pondered for a moment - he would have to rely on these two for the entirety of the tournament, so his type selection was important. However, he also had to keep in mind the different moves his Pokemon knew, and figure out how effective they would be when used in conjunction during a double battle.

After a few seconds of thought, the boy swiftly came to his conclusion as he unclipped two Pokeballs from his belt and handed them to Joy along with his entry sheet.

"Magmar and Fearow it is, then!" Joy confirmed, placing the two spheres onto the input machine beside her as she read over Zak's details.

After a few seconds of checking to make sure everything was okay, the woman turned to Zak's partner, Zeni.

"And your entries, please, sir?" she requested. Zeni grinned as he handed the paper over to her along with two Pokeballs.

Nurse Joy's eyes widened momentarily as she looked over Zeni's entry sheet before smiling warmly.

"Oh, so you two are brothers?" she asked. "It's so nice to see a sibling partnership in the tournament."

"Wha!?" Zak cried, obviously flustered. He stared over at Zeni, whose smug grin seemed to fade away into nervous worry. "We're not-"

"Of course we're not brothers!" Zeni laughed, quickly slamming his hand over Zak's mouth and restraining him. He had to think and act quickly in order for his cover not to be blown.

"Oh?" Nurse Joy wondered out loud, looking back to the entry sheet. "But you both have the same last name..."

"We're married!" Zeni replied, his exterior now providing an aura of calm, though inside his heart was beating rapidly.

Zak began to squirm against Zeni's grip even more as he heard this explanation.

"Married!?" Nurse Joy repeated, stunned.

"Yep." Zeni nodded sagely. "Almost two years now and," he glared straight into Zak's eyes as he spoke. "VERY happy together."

As he finished his sentence he released Zak, who seemed to have settled down somewhat, though his face was flushed an undeniably deep shade of red.

"Isn't that right, honey?" Zeni continued, winking at his partner.

"Uh..." Zak coughed meekly. "Yes... Very happy..."

Zeni gave his best girlish giggle and leaned over the counter towards Nurse Joy, whispering in her ear.

"He acts all timid now, but believe me, he can be a real animal sometimes."

"I see..." Joy stammered, her face becoming almost as red as Zak's. "So Zeni, you're entering Squirtle and Sandshrew, correct?"

"Right, right." Zeni answered.

"Okay then," Joy concluded, printing out two tickets and placing them inside their own, clear-plastic wallets, to which she tied some purple ribbon around. "you two are officially registered into the Violet City tournament. Qualifying rounds start this Saturday at 1PM sharp in the Violet Colosseum right in the centre of town."

"Thanks, Nurse Joy." both trainers said in unison, accepting their ID numbers and receiving their Pokemon back.

"Good luck to both of you!" Nurse Joy said as the two began to walk away, before adding: "Oh, and, um..."

The two trainers turned, looking back at the woman behind the counter.

"You are aware that it's only one person to a bunk?" she checked. "Pokemon Centre policy, I'm afraid."

Zak's face began to redden again, but Zeni simply grinned and winked at her.

"Don't worry," he replied. "he can wait a little longer."

* * *

Zak waited until he and Zeni were safely out of earshot of the large queue of trainers before confronting the boy.

"What the Hell do you think you're doing using my last name!?" he hissed, glaring down at Zeni who just grinned in reply. "And what was that all about? Married? I-" Zak paused for a second, double-checking his words before he spoke them out loud. "I wouldn't - I mean, I'm not-"

"Hey, I'm a wanted criminal, remember?" Zeni reassured the trainer as the two of them made their way towards their respective bunks towards the edge of the Pokemon Centre. "I couldn't use my real name, else my cover would be blown."

"Nobody knows who you are!" Zak yelled in desperation. He had only just become acquainted on a personal basis with Zeni a few hours ago but already he felt that talking to him was like talking to a brick wall.

"Besides," Zeni removed his sunglasses and winked at Zak. "we'd make a cute couple, huh?"

Zak blushed again, but was quickly driven away from such thoughts when he heard a familiar voice call out his name from behind.

"Zak?" the girl spoke up as Zak turned.

Zak stifled a gasp when he realised who the voice belonged to. There, standing before him, was Whitney; Goldenrod City Gym leader and former travelling companion.

Whitney was dressed in her usual attire - a white, short-cut jacket with plain yellow trims and faded black jeans. Her luxurious pink hair was set into two pigtails which fell down to either side of her face and her white sneakers were as pristine as ever. Her chestnut brown eyes were the only things to have changed, it seemed - her gaze was now more powerful and confident, and it was clear that she had been through a lot and her determination to be the best was greater than ever before.

"Whitney!" Zak stuttered, caught entirely off guard by the girl's arrival.

He fidgeted on the spot for a moment, nervously trying to figure out what to say to the girl he had essentially abandoned in Ilex Forest.

"What are you doing here?" he eventually mustered.

"I'm here for the Violet City tournament, of course." Whitney answered back, her voice now displaying less naivety than he remembered. She was now a confident, assertive woman. "What about you? Going to challenge Falkner, right?"

"You have a partner?" Zak ignored her second question, before quickly adding: "Um, Falkner?"

"The Violet City Gym leader." the girl explained. "You're here for a badge, right?"

Whitney put her hand to her chin as she thought for a moment.

"Though you're kind of late getting here," she continued. "how long were you at Azalea Town for? Bugsy shouldn't have taken you that long to beat."

"It's a long story." Zak admitted.

As the two trainers spoke, Zak could feel the presence of Zeni hovering behind him, obviously eager to be introduced.

"Oh, uh, this is Zeni." Zak noted briefly, stepping to the side to reveal the boy lurking behind his shoulder. "Zeni, Whitney; Whitney, Zeni."

"A real pleasure, milady." Zeni greeted the girl, bowing swiftly before taking her hand. Whitney's face simply helped to illustrate her confusion.

"Take your hands off her." a sharp, masculine voice called over.

Both Zak and Zeni looked up behind Whitney as the figure of a young man came marching into view.

He was about Zak's age, though possibly slightly older, with a large mass of dark blue hair and a stern look on his face. For his clothes he wore a loose fitting white jacket and baggy, purple pants and shirt styled in what appeared to be a traditional Johto martial arts uniform. On his feet he wore sandals and pinned to the left breast of his jacket was the emblem of the official Johto Pokemon League.

"I'm sorry, were you talking to me?" Zeni openly mocked the older boy, adjusting his sunglasses as he spoke. The stranger grinned arrogantly.

"I just assumed Whitney wouldn't want a little boy covered in dirt and grass stains to be touching her." he explained, folding his arms. "You understand, of course?"

Zeni growled at this, releasing Whitney's hand and clenching his fist tightly.

"You talk awfully big for a guy wandering around in pajamas." he hissed, causing Zak to chuckle. The stranger merely scowled.

"What did you say, punk!?" he snarled before Whitney placed her hand on his chest.

"Falkner, please," she said soothingly. "calm down."

"Falkner?" Zak repeated the boy's name. "Then that must mean-"

"Yes, I'm the Violet City Gym leader." Falkner revealed, eying Zak closely. "Do you know Whitney?"

"That'd explain the stupid badge, then." Zeni commented, pointing at the Johto League emblem pinned to Falkner's outer jacket. "I guess they started making them out of tinfoil, huh?"

Falkner's fists clenched and he began to approach Zeni. Zak, noticing this, quickly stepped in-between the two.

"Whitney and I were kind of-" he began, but Falkner stopped, cutting him off.

"Don't tell me you two were an item?" he guessed, turning to Whitney who immediately flushed a light shade of pink. Zak, too, began to succumb to his embarrassment.

"Of course not!" Zak coughed, rubbing the back of his head nervously. "We just-"

"It's not a big deal." Whitney announced, grabbing Falkner's arm and pulling him back towards her. "We just met in Goldenrod a while back."

"So I take it you're entering the competition?" Falkner's voice seemed to show genuine interest, though his physical demeanor appeared less than impressed by the two trainers standing before him.

"That's right." Zak confirmed, motioning towards Zeni, who was still glaring at the Violet City Gym leader as if he had just stolen his Pokemon. "Zeni and I are entering together."

"And you actually expect to win?" Falkner mocked the pair of them.

The boy's comments only proved to further enrage Zeni, and even Zak was angry to a degree, though he made sure that he kept his composure at all times. He recalled Morty's arrogance back in Ecruteak City when he battled for his first Gym badge, but he at least showed an ounce of respect for his opponents. Falkner's attitude, on the other hand, was simply appalling.

"I guess they'll let anyone enter a Pokemon tournament these days." Falkner laughed, turning away and walking towards the exit of the Pokemon Centre. "Oh, and don't expect me to go easy on you, just because you know Whitney."

Whitney, Zak and Zeni all watched as Falkner exited the building amongst the crowds of people still registering for the tournament.

"Wow, your boyfriend's a complete ass." Zeni commented, causing Zak to chuckle.

"Oh, he's not-" Whitney flustered for a moment. "Well, we used to, but-"

"Used to?" Zak echoed. Whitney turned away, clearly embarrassed.

"We used to date." she admitted. "It was a long time ago; back when I first went to Indigo Plateau to get my license, actually. We both took the same exam."

"Ah." Zak mumbled.

He briefly considered adding a 'that's great' or a 'he seems nice', but he just couldn't. Though he didn't want to admit it, he was surprised Whitney would even look twice at somebody so rude.

Could it be that he was... Jealous?

Zak shook his head.

"But like I said," Whitney hesitated. "it was a long time ago... So, you're entering too, huh?"

"Yeah." Zak muttered. "Is he your partner, then?"

Whitney nodded in reply.

"Wow, a team of two Gym leaders." Zak entertained the thought for a moment. "That'd be a great battle."

"Well, um..." Whitney began, beginning to turn away. "I'd better get going, it's pretty late."

"Uh..." Zak stammered, unsure of himself, but as Whitney turned to face him, he knew he had to say something. "Whitney, I... I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For... About what happened in Ilex." Zak sighed.

Whitney simply smiled at the trainer shyly and waved her hand at him.

"Don't worry about it." she insisted. "It was for the best, right?"

Zak could only nod with a dim-witted expression on his face. He didn't really know what to say... What could he say? The last person he had expected to see in Violet City was Whitney, least of all entering the same Pokemon tournament as him.

"Right." he managed as she began to walk away.

"Oh," she turned back, calling out. "good luck to both of you in the tournament!"

"Thanks!" Zeni waved as Zak just stared at the floor, feeling inadequate. "You know you and I could always go out for coffee! Maybe a candlelit dinner or something!"

Zak assumed that Whitney couldn't hear Zeni's yelling, which was most definitely a good thing. He sighed, looking up towards the tiled ceiling of the Pokemon Centre.

This would be a difficult tournament indeed...

* * *

Excited squeals filled the room as a small, rounded Pokemon frolicked back and forth, chasing after the small, rubber ball it's trainer continued to throw playfully towards it. Underneath this layer of light-hearted noise came the constant tapping of a small keyboard from the far corner of the room.

"Good job, Spheal!" the girl with the long, red hair which fell down to her shoulders congratulated the Pokemon as she prepared to throw the ball again. "You're getting faster all the time!"

The small, blue Pokemon smiled and bounced on the spot, eager to continue playing with it's master. The girl threw the ball once again and Spheal instantly dashed after it.

"How fascinating." an emotionless voice commented from the corner of the room.

The girl looked over towards the boy who was hunched over his portable computer, still continuing to tap away at the keyboard as he spoke. She continued to play with the hyperactive Pokemon in front of her, but made sure to listen to what her partner was saying.

"Team Rocket's satellite network is very impressive," the boy continued, adjusting his large, rounded glasses and allowing the girl a glimpse of his pale, violet eyes as he did so. "with such a fast and easily hidden connection I can access almost anything on the planet, given enough research time."

The girl didn't really know what the boy was getting at, but she assumed that she would find out soon enough. He continued tapping away at the keyboard and she merely sighed, staring around the small, square room at the four different beds positioned in opposite corners. She had been cooped up in this place for days and wanted to stretch her legs, but until Knite issued her with an order she was to remain here.

"Interesting..." the boy spoke up again, obviously amused by something on the screen before him. "It seems Tanner and Axel have decided to participate in the Violet City Pokemon tournament this week."

"What?" the girl was shocked and discontinued her throwing of the ball in her hands. "You mean they didn't submit false names?"

She pondered this for a moment, before adding:

"Knite won't like that."

"Seems Zak Vangard has entered with a boy named Zenith Vangard." the boy in the corner sighed somewhat at this, almost as if he was bored at staring at the same screen for hours on end.

"Well, that's strange." the girl mused, getting to her feet and walking over to check the screen. "According to Knite's records he only has a sister."

"Fascinating." the boy muttered to himself, his face refusing to acknowledge a smile. "Truly fascinating."

"What are they thinking, Rackus!?" the girl folded her arms and leaned against the wall, obviously angry at this turn of events. "Do they honestly believe that entering into a public, large-scale tournament like this is what Team Rocket wants?"

"Nobody knows they're Team Rocket members, Tamara." Rackus replied calmly, resuming his tapping of the keyboard. "As far as the public knows they're just two maverick trainers. This could be even simpler than we thought."

Tamara frowned at this and looked down at the boy sitting on the floor below her.

"What do you mean by that?" she questioned. Rackus simply smiled a sinister smile, adjusting his glasses once more as he turned to face her.

"It means that as soon as they kill the boy," he chuckled casually. "they're expendable."

* * *

"Squirtle!" Zeni's Pokemon, a short, pastel-blue turtle with a bright, red shell said to it's partner, an equally short, faded sand-coloured, rodent-like creature. "Squirtle squirtle, squirt squirt squirtle!"

"Sand..." the yellow creature - Zeni's Sandshrew - replied somewhat nervously. "Sandshrew?"

Zak smiled as he watched the two of them; Zeni's Squirtle confidently reassuring Sandshrew and explaining it's strategy. He assumed that Zeni had more Pokemon, but so far he had only seen Slowpoke and these two. Whilst Slowpoke was a little too quiet for his liking, he appreciated the confident personality of Zeni's Squirtle and the unsure, somewhat doubtful mentality of his Sandshrew. They seemed much more like real people, whereas with Slowpoke he was never quite sure what to say.

In fact, he was never quite sure if it was awake, either.

Zeni sat on a blue couch in the far corner of the Violet Colosseum waiting hall, idly staring up at the ceiling. He was so laid-back about this tournament it was as if he wasn't fussed if he was to win or lose. Now that he thought about it, Zak wasn't even sure of Zeni's motives for entering the tournament, let alone helping him.

However, Zak was certain of one thing - the two of them worked surprisingly well as a team. Zeni's unorthodox strategies and Zak's rock-solid reliability were an impressive match and not one of their training sessions had been disappointing. Granted, they didn't really talk about anything other than battling strategies (unless there was a young lady in a skirt nearby), but Zak felt comfortable around him - though he still made sure to keep an eye on his Pokeballs at all times; just in case.

The waiting room itself was painted in a drab, dark brown colour scheme and was lined with rows of portraits and lists of winning teams, past and present. The colosseum itself had quite a prestigious history, though this specific tournament had only been running for a few years.

Zak also noticed that some of the portraits were of Falkner, the Violet City Gym leader.

He and Zeni, along with sixteen other trainers, had all been waiting in the eastern waiting hall for just under an hour now. The western waiting hall was also full, he assumed, since opposing teams were placed in separate waiting halls as according to colosseum home rules.

"Attention, Zak and Zenith Vangard," the waiting hall megaphone suddenly sounded up, ringing throughout the room. "your qualifying match will begin on Outer Stadium Three in exactly five minutes. Please make your way to the stadium immediately."

As the megaphone's voice faded away a large monitor lit up, showing Stadium Three along with a picture of both Zak and Zeni, and their two opponents.

"Grass battlefield, huh?" Zeni noted, getting to his feet and walking towards Zak, being sure to recall his Pokemon back into their Pokeballs.

"You ready?" Zak asked the boy, smiling at him. Zeni grinned in reply.

"I just feel sorry for the spectators;" he said. "this is going to be a really short battle."

With these final words, the two trainers made their way towards Stadium Three - eager to pass through the qualifying rounds and into the actual tournament.


	18. Facetoface! Axel and Zak!

"Ladies and gentlemen, the winners of the qualifying rounds have been confirmed!" a booming loudspeaker could be heard overhead from every corner of the Violet City colosseum grounds. "The following teams have all survived the preliminary knockout stages..."

Zak made sure he kept the loudspeaker apparent in his mind at all times as he leaned against the wooden railings of the pathway, taking another sip of the ice-cold soda in his hands.

"You guys did great." he whispered to two Pokeballs lying in their miniaturised form in his open palm.

The streets of Violet City now showed a lot less trainers since the qualifying rounds had ended a few hours ago. Zak and Zeni had been battling hard throughout the qualifying weekend and had won all six of their knockout challenges, meaning they were safely through to the tournament itself.

"...Kaede Ichimounji and Jade Suzuyama..."

The speaker continued to spout names of qualifying entrants.

Zak sighed and tilted his head back as a cool, fresh breeze ruffled his hair. The battles hadn't been easy by any stretch of the imagination, and their Pokemon had to battle at their absolute best at all times, but it was worth it.

Zak was thrilled to be in his first registered Pokemon tournament, but a part of him made sure that he did not get ahead of himself. He knew his primary objective here in Violet City was to investigate the Ruins of Alph and, hopefully, discover the location of Team Rocket's hidden fortress.

He had been attempting to formulate excuses all weekend in order to throw Zeni off in case he was forced to abandon a match in favour of tracking the base. Zak was prepared for anything, but he didn't want his partner to be in danger.

"...Yuri Sakamizu and Harry Mason..."

So far he hadn't been able to come up with a foolproof plan, but he was confident he would be able to think of something eventually. His major problem, however, was finding out where exactly Team Rocket's hideout was located.

Zak stared off into the distance, towards the southwest where the Ruins of Alph lay. Though they weren't visible from this far in the centre of the city, he knew that they were there: waiting for him.

Quite how Team Rocket had managed to get away with building a top secret facility near to a major tourist attraction baffled Zak, but Kurt knew his technology, and the signal on Blackrock's collar didn't lie. Somewhere amongst the rubble of that once great civilisation stood the key to unlocking his father's location.

"...Axel Sestren and Tanner Rikomu..."

'What?' Zak's words suddenly sparked through his head. 'Tanner!?'

He turned to face the central colosseum, from where the results were being announced.

So he was right! Tanner had entered this competition. At least, he assumed it was the same person. How many people had the name Tanner? It had to be him.

Zak hurriedly made his way towards the main monitor just outside the Violet City Colosseum. Sure enough, there on the main screen, was an image of Tanner - the same boy bearing the same, familiar scowl as when he had stolen Zak's father's Scizor.

Zak's fists clenched at he stared up at the picture, ignoring the image of Tanner's partner. This was perfect for his plans - he now knew exactly where his enemy was located. But it also meant that Tanner was willing to stop at nothing in order to retrieve Zak's sword - even taking it in public view of a large-scale Pokemon tournament?

That was an insane plan if ever there was one.

"...Falkner Hayato and Whitney Akane..."

As the loudspeaker continued it's announcement, the images of Falkner and Whitney's faces flashed onto the huge monitor before him, removing Tanner and his partner from view.

So Whitney had made it through to the final tournament as well. She must've improved a whole lot more than she'd let on.

"...Zak Vangard and Zenith Vangard..."

Zak smiled as he saw his and Zeni's face appear on the main screen.

Though he knew they had made it through thanks to their six straight victories in the qualifying stage, it was always a relief to know that the results hadn't been tampered with.

"Feels good to have your name up in lights, doesn't it?" Zak heard a familiar voice ask him from behind.

Zak turned to see Zeni approaching him, arms casually folded behind his head as he stared up at the screen, his sunglasses reflecting the strong midday sun. As usual, Slowpoke was sat on his shoulder yawning.

"Yeah." Zak chuckled in reply and turned back to face the huge television monitor which was still cycling through names of competitors.

There was a long silence between the two, punctuated only by the sound of people passing by and the booming voice of the announcer. The leaves of the nearby trees could be heard rustling as a strong breeze picked up and shot through the colosseum grounds.

"Well, I'm gonna go do some..." Zak stumbled over his words - he wasn't used to lying. "Stuff."

Zeni eyed his partner carefully as Zak began to turn away, throwing his empty can of soda into a nearby bin as he went.

"Alright." he replied, watching Zak walk off into the distance.

Zeni stood in front of the screen for a moment, feeling the heavy breathing of Slowpoke in his ear.

"Yeah, I hear you, Slowpoke." he whispered, a smile forming on his lips. "Nobody ditches the great Zeni."

Zeni made his way down the steps and towards the exit of the colosseum grounds, whistling casually.

"You're up to something, Zak." he mumbled to himself as he walked through the crowds of people, slowly picking up speed to a casual jog. "And I'm going to find out exactly what it is."

* * *

Pushing past tree branches and hopping over stones littering the outer forest floor, Zak couldn't help but feel guilty about lying to Zeni. Of course, it wasn't his intention to deceive the boy, but it was for his own good - this was something Zak had to do himself; Mr. Lunata had said so and his meetings with Zeni were dubious enough as it is.

Zak frowned as he continued along the side route towards the Ruins of Alph, making sure he did he best to stay out of sight and investigate any areas of particular suspicion. Was he always going to be like this with potential friends? Would his secrecy about his father and the true purpose behind his journey always have to come first?

Would Whitney ever be able to forgive him for what happened in Ilex Forest?

Yes, she had seemed perfectly forgiving in the Violet City Pokemon Centre last week, but Zak could tell she still didn't entirely trust him; that look in her eyes had told him so.

Zak clenched his fists as he thought about the events leading up to Scizor's capture and of Tanner, the boy who had attacked and bound Whitney as if she were a caged animal and showed no remorse in doing so. If there was one thing he would enjoy about infiltrating Team Rocket's base, it would be avenging Whitney and wiping the sick smile off that kid's face.

Zak stopped and skidded across the fallen foliage beneath his feet. He crouched down low and leaned on an old tree stump, listening out carefully. Tourists could be heard coming and going from the main route just a few yards away, and before him stood a large, bricked wall with patches of repair work scattered across it.

He had finally arrived - here were the Ruins of Alph.

Zak quickly began to search the outer walls, using them as a record of his progress as he wandered through the forest, looking for anything suspicious which might lead him to the base.

The shade of the forest was a lot cooler than outside in the sun, and the thick leaves of the trees blocked out almost any light, making searching for obscure clues all the more difficult. Beneath the trainer's feet twigs snapped and leaves rustled as he made his way deeper into the forest and further away from the main road.

It took a few more minutes of mostly aimless searching throughout the woods when suddenly Zak felt a change in the surface of the ground. Looking down to his feet, he caught a glimpse of dull steel hidden amongst the dirt and stones.

'Hm...' his thoughts echoed through his head as he leaned closer to the ground and checked his footing.

"So you've finally found us out, eh?" an arrogant voice spoke up from the shadows of the forest a few yards away.

Zak looked up, glaring directly at the source of the voice. Though he couldn't quite make out a figure, he could tell from the direction of the sound where the stranger was. With lightning fast reflexes he silently unfastened a Pokeball from his belt and adjusted his footing, leaning down low to the ground.

"Now now, don't be intimidated." the voice spoke up again, this time it's owner making his presence known as he confidently stepped into the light. "I'm not here to fight you, Vangard."

Zak acknowledged the boy who stood before him, but kept his guard up, his body refusing to move. He gritted his teeth at the stranger, who was dressed in what appeared to be robotic armour - the plating was a smooth, polished mixture of white and red and his hair was a spiky brown. His boots shared the same design as his armoured top, and his pants were of a dark green camouflage design.

"Who are you?" Zak asked, sensing danger around every turn. His eyes scanned the surrounding area for any other trainers or Team Rocket agents that could be lurking in the shadows - he was in their territory now.

"You step into my back yard and demand my name?" the boy laughed, throwing his hair back and leaning against a nearby tree. "Very well, Zak; since I already know you I'll introduce myself. My name is Axel, and my orders are to take your father's sword from you."

"So you're working with Tanner, then?" Zak knew the answer already, but it was always comforting to have his questions confirmed.

"Perceptive, aren't we?" Axel chuckled, folding his arms. "But I should warn you, I am far superior to Tanner in terms of training ability and, well, just about everything really."

Zak enlarged the Pokeball waiting in his hands and readied it for battle. Axel frowned at this.

"Now now, Zak," he tutted sourly. "I already told you I'm not going to fight. That's why I've entered into the Violet City tournament."

Zak said nothing and simply continued to glare at the boy standing directly opposite him.

"I've heard all about your skills, and I must say I'm impressed." Axel continued. "I want people to witness our battle - it should be a truly excellent performance. There's no need to let it go to waste."

"Why the sword, though?" Zak changed the subject, eager to learn the truth behind his attacker's motives. His body visibly relaxed slightly, though he made sure to keep his mind sharp at all times.

Axel merely shrugged in response to this.

"I'm just a mercenary trainer;" he explained. "my skills are for sale, not my questions. My leader wants the sword, and that's that."

"And your leader?" Zak pressed the issue.

Axel smiled and began to back away into the shadows of the forest from whence he came.

"You'll find out, Zak." he called as his voice began to fade. "You'll find out..."

Zak stood in silence for several minutes as he waited, staring down at the ground, and at the hidden steel which lay beneath his feet. After his thoughts had been touched on he crouched down low and examined the forest floor more closely. He didn't have much time - Zeni would be concerned if he wasn't back at the Pokemon Centre by sunset.

Zak's infiltration would have to wait for today, but at least he had found an entrance of some kind...

Meanwhile, hidden amongst the shadows a few yards away, a flash of sunglasses could be seen as a familiar face stood watch over the trainer in the forest.

'What's so special about you, Zak?' Zeni wondered as he kept a close eye on the boy. 'And what have you gotten involved in?'

* * *

"Alright, folks!" the voice of the Violet City tournament announcer boomed across the entire grounds of the colosseum. "This is the moment you've all been waiting for! Our trainers are gathered and our first round matches are ready to get underway!"

Zak breathed deeply and took in the scent of the fresh, morning air. Monday had finally arrived, and with it came the first official day of the Violet City Pokemon tournament.

Zak was of course thrilled to be here, participating in an official Johto League tournament. He had often dreamt of such occasions back in his home village, reading old magazines of former championships and Elite Four challenges and catching re-runs of local tournaments on TV.

The trainer grinned to himself for a moment. There were cameras stationed all around the main stadium and the seats were filled with eager spectators - perhaps his progress would be televised?

Both Zak and Zeni were standing on the eastern side of the Violet City colosseum, ready to climb the steps and take their place on the central stadium. Across the huge stadium, which measured a hundred and twenty long and seventy feet wide, were there opponents - two young men who obviously possessed great physical strength if their appearance was anything to go by.

Zak clenched his fists in anticipation, eager to begin the battle and test the battle experience of his Pokemon.

The colosseum's walls themselves towered over the trainers at around sixty feet high. The sheer size of the building itself amazed Zak, though he had heard that this wasn't even the largest in Johto. As impressive as the building was, however, Zak knew he couldn't allow the grandeur of the occasion to get the better of him - he had to remain focused on the task at hand - and that was to win this first round match-up.

"What an incredible cast of warriors has gathered here!" the announcer continued to proclaim excitedly as the four huge TV monitors on the back of the stadium walls flickered to life and began to scroll through pictures of the sixty-four competitors who would be taking part in the tournament. "However! Only one team shall be crowned the champion of the Violet City Pokemon tournament!"

The crowd began to erupt into even more furious cheering as the announcer continued his speech from the main commentary box on the north wall of the colosseum.

"But the road to victory is not an easy one!" the man insisted, his voice seeming to grow in excitement with every syllable. "The champion team will need more than luck to win this tournament! They will have to demonstrate a keen mind and steady nerves in order to defeat the competition! I can't wait to see what's going to happen!"

Zeni grinned at his partner, one hand on his hip, his Slowpoke no longer present on his shoulder. As usual he was wearing his sunglasses, though the sunlight wasn't particularly bright today.

"You ready?" he asked Zak.

Zak smiled back and nodded.

"More than ever." he replied.

"Alright!" the announcer yelled. "The show is about to begin! Our first match-up is the team of Joe Scarrick and Adam Kegger-"

The announcer paused to allow the cheering crowd to acknowledge the first team of competitors.

"...And Zak and Zenith Vangard!"

The crowd again erupted into a few whistles and chants as both Zak and Zeni waved to the audience that surrounded them.

"And now, competitors please take up your positions on the central stadium!"

Both Zak and Zeni made their way up the steps and onto the stadium's main platform. As Zak unclipped his first choice of Pokeball the chants of the crowd seemed to wash away into an incomprehensible blur of noise and all he could hear was the rush of the gentle, morning breeze and the excited voice of the announcer.

Dust whipped up in the centre of the stadium, and directly opposite Zak and his partner, stood their opponents - tall, menacing and eager to begin the battle.

'Alright,' Zak thought to himself quietly. 'let's do this...'

"Good luck, Zeni." he called to his partner over the yelling of the crowd.

"You too." Zeni grinned, then turned back to face the opposition.

The noise of the crowd finally began to subside as the opening match of the tournament was about to begin.

"This battle is about to explode..." the announcer whispered into the microphone, causing the nerves and tension in Zak's stomach to feel even greater.

Seconds passed like hours and Zak could feel his heart beating faster and faster. He knew he could beat these trainers, especially with Zeni's help, and he knew his ranking in this tournament didn't matter so long as he managed to make his way into Team Rocket's base...

But he wanted to win anyway.

"...FIGHT!!"


	19. The Stray

Skull and Cubon appear courtesy of Morpher01's fic "Shadows of Fear: Return of Cipher".  
screeching reverberated around the stadium as Zak's Fearow descended down onto the waiting enemy Hitmonchan - a humanoid Pokemon with boxing gloves on both hands. With a succession of quick and powerful thrusts Pick sent the creature colliding into the sandy ground of the Violet City stadium.

"And it's a knockout, folks!" the voice of the battle commentator spoke up after quite a few minutes of silence. "What a spectacular opening match this has been! It was a difficult journey, but the team of Zak and Zenith Vangard has made it's way to victory!"

Zak and Zeni both gave each other a high five and recalled their two Pokemon back into their Pokeballs before giving a bow to the audience, who were wildly screaming and pumping their fists with excitement.

"But this is just the first match of the tournament, and this team will need to work harder than ever to pass through to the final stage and for a chance to win this year's tournament trophy!" the commentator continued. "Another three matches await these trainers, but remember that only one team can win the title! Now, onto our next battle..."

The announcer's voice began to fade away as Zak and Zeni were ushered from the stadium and down into the western waiting hall, cameras flashing at them as they passed through the backstage areas.

"Not bad at all," Zeni mused, juggling the two Pokeballs in his hands idly. "we didn't even need to switch Pokemon."

"Don't get too confident." Zak replied calmly. "We've got a long way to go and the matches are only going to get tougher."

"Yeah, yeah, I know that." Zeni insisted, sighing as he clipped the two Pokeballs to his belt.

After a few minutes of walking through the darkened corridor the two trainers emerged into the waiting hall, where several other competitors were gathered, their faces all very stern.

The room itself was completely silent, save for the whirring of the soda machines in the corner and the main monitor in the centre of the room which was focusing on the central stadium, where battle number two was about to take place.

Zeni immediately found himself drawn to the soda machines, whilst Zak decided to stay put and watch the upcoming battle on the screen.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" he could hear the televised voice of the announcer once again. "The second of our first round matches is about to begin, and this is the one you've all been waiting for!"

Cheers erupted from the stands yet again and the camera panned across the entirety of the colosseum, making Zak once again realise how big the venue truly was.

"Please welcome our defending champion and local Violet City Gym leader: Falkner Hayate!"

Zak frowned as the camera zoomed in on Falkner's face, the crowd continuing to get more and more excited by the second.

Falkner smiled to the audience, flicking back his long, blue hair and nodding confidently towards the stands.

"And let's not forget his beautiful partner!" the announcer spoke up again as the camera panned to a serious-looking Whitney standing beside Falkner. "You may know her as the Goldenrod City Gym leader, but please welcome a newcomer to this tournament - ladies and gentlemen it's none other than Whitney Akane!"

The waves of noise from the crowd once again rose in power as Whitney smiled in response to her introduction.

"What 'ou watchin'?" came the stifled voice of Zeni from Zak's right shoulder. Zak tilted his head slightly to see his partner with half a hot dog in his mouth and a soda in his left hand.

"Second first-round match." Zak answered, looking back up to the television screen. "Whitney and Falkner are battling."

"'Ou mean 'a-" Zeni paused, then swallowed his food before retrying his sentence. "You mean that girl we met in the Pokemon Centre the other day?"

Zak nodded.

"She's hot." Zeni commented.

Zak glared at the boy through the corner of his eye, causing Zeni to step back a little, somewhat intimidated.

"What?" he panicked. "She is. I mean, if she weren't with that jackass, I'd-"

Zak groaned, interrupting Zeni mid-speech.

"Please," he sighed, raising a hand towards Zeni's face. "just stop talking."

The battle had only just begun on the television monitor and all four trainer's Pokemon were out on the battlefield.

Whitney and Falkner's opponents both looked to be in their late teens. The girl possessed straight, brown hair, cut short down to the neck and wore a pale blue kimono with numerous pastel-coloured splashes decorating it in various locations. The boy also possessed straight, brown hair, though his was longer and fashioned into a single ponytail which trailed down his back. He wore simple jeans and a white t-shirt.

Both Zak and Zeni watched with interest as Falkner's Pokemon initiated the first attack.

It was a strange Pokemon, and one Zak was eager to learn more about, so he quickly withdrew his PokŽdex from the pocket of his jeans and began to scan through the vast list of Pokemon stored on the device.

"Dodrio," the mechanised voice of the PokŽdex emerged as a picture of the Pokemon appeared on the main screen. "the running bird Pokemon. Dodrio has three sets of hearts and lungs, and is therefore capable of running extremely long distances without rest."

It was a large, orange-coloured bird which stood around six feet tall and, instead of wings, possessed three heads which appeared to showcase different emotions as it stared down at it's opponent, dashing wildly towards the enemy.

With an earth-shaking screech, Dodrio slammed it's three beaks into the stomach of it's opponent, a tall, muscular humanoid Pokemon with grey skin and red streaks flowing across it's huge arms. Zak immediately recognised the creature as a Machoke.

Dodrio continued it's powerful assault on Machoke, unaware of the creature behind it which was readying a strike of it's own. This Pokemon was none other than Kadabra, a rare and powerful Psychic-type Pokemon with a yellow body and long, curved whiskers which protruded down towards the creature's chin. It possessed a long, conical tail, like that of a fox, and in both of it's hands were held ordinary tablespoons, their curved heads bending and twisting as powerful waves of psychic energy flowed from the Kadabra's body and into their cold metal forms.

With an almighty shout Kadabra raised it's right hand and began to form a ball of pure psychic energy inside it's palm. Dodrio had by now flung Machoke out of the ring and the Fighting-type was lying in the dirt by the stands, unconscious.

Dodrio was an undeniably fast Pokemon, but even it would be unable to avoid such a close-ranged psychic attack and already Falkner and Whitney's opponents had called on their third Pokemon, a gigantic grizzly bear, also known as Ursaring, which was blocking Dodrio's escape route.

Just before Kadabra had the chance to throw it's psychic energy towards it's target, a powerful Rollout attack from Whitney's Miltank sent the creature flying out of the ring and crashing down near the colosseum gates, unconscious.

"Wow..." Zak breathed, watching the screen with unshakeable interest. "Whitney's Miltank is stronger than ever..."

"Taking down a Kadabra in one hit takes some serious attack power." Zeni muttered, throwing the empty soda can in the trash behind him.

In just a few short moments the combined powers of Dodrio and Miltank proceeded to completely decimate their rivals. Not only did both Falkner and Whitney work as a single, united team, but their Pokemon did as well. Zak marveled at the amount of training the two Gym leaders would have had to have endured in order to get to such a level of confidence and ability. Truly, these were two very impressive trainers.

As the fight began to draw to a close and the announcer made his final comments before ushering away the trainers, Zak watched carefully as the camera zoomed in onto the victorious team. Falkner was bowing gracefully to the cheering crowds, whilst Whitney simply smiled and waved to them.

"Well," Zeni yawned as he made his way towards the exit of the waiting room. "I'm gonna go check the arcades. We've got tomorrow off and I feel like enjoying myself. Maybe some beautiful ladies have decided to become my adoring fans..."

"Have fun." Zak sighed as he watched the boy exit the waiting room, then gave a quick stretch as he began to wonder what he should do to pass the time.

His mind had been so intensely focused on winning today's match that he hadn't really thought about what he would do for the rest of the day. He didn't want to go back to training as he thought his Pokemon deserved a rest and he wasn't much for sightseeing.

Zak briefly considered the possibility of attempting to infiltrate Team Rocket's base, but he knew that both Axel and Tanner could be watching him at any time and their first round match was scheduled for tomorrow, meaning they could be anywhere.

Zak had no desire to wait until the two of them were knocked out of the tournament before he attempted to gain entry to the base, but he knew that he would have to show some patience. Everything had to be perfect if he was going to get in unseen, and that meant that he would have to temporarily eliminate the threat of both Axel and Tanner somehow. The question was how...

"Well, first thing's first." Zak decided, looking down towards where his Pokeballs were clipped to his belt. "I'd better get you to the Pokemon Centre."

* * *

The Pokemon Centre was unusually quiet today, with only a few trainers and medical staff roaming the large, vacuous halls. Zak assumed that it was only to be expected, as this was the first official day of the Violet City tournament and the town's Pokemon community had been building up to this for quite some time.

Zak began to head towards the central healing desk when all of a sudden he noticed who was currently being served.

"Uh, Whitney!" he stammered, prompting the girl to turn and face him.

Sure enough, there was Whitney. She was dressed in her usual attire and it seemed as though she had come straight from the colosseum.

"Oh, hi Zak." she greeted the boy, stepping to the side of the desk and offering him the space beside her.

"I saw your battle." Zak began nervously, not quite sure whether he should attempt conversation or not as he stepped up to the desk and stood next to her. "You looked good. Uh, I mean, in the battle. You did good."

Whitney giggled at this and leaned on the desk, staring down into the restricted hallway of the Pokemon Centre where Nurse Joy had just entered.

"Thanks." she replied. "I saw yours, too. Your Pokemon have gotten a lot stronger since I last saw them."

"Well, we've been training pretty hard." Zak explained, blushing slightly at the compliment. To be complimented by a Gym leader was not a common thing. "And it looks like yours have improved, too. I saw Miltank take out that Kadabra with just one hit!"

"Well, she never lets me down." Whitney laughed.

The air around the front desk fell silent, save for the occasional footsteps of passing trainers and Chanseys.

"So..." Zak spoke up again, hating awkward silences. "Where's Falkner?"

"Oh, he went to take interviews." Whitney sighed, looking decidedly bored. "He said he won't be back until late tonight, since they'll be quizzing him on the highlights show."

"He's a popular guy, huh?" Zak asked without thinking.

"Well, he is the favourite to win." Whitney said simply.

"What about you?" Zak pressed the issue, his fear of the conversation slipping away with every passing word.

"What about me?" Whitney responded, looking up at Zak with confusion evident in her eyes.

"Well, I mean-" Zak gathered his thoughts for a moment before continuing. "-you're both part of a team, right? Don't you get a say in it?"

Whitney smiled at this, then hopped onto the desk, sitting directly opposite the trainer.

"Uh-" Zak stuttered as he tried not to stare at the girl in front of him. "Are you sure you're allowed to sit on there?"

"Y'know, that's what's bad about you, Zak." Whitney giggled in reply.

"Huh?" Zak was completely puzzled. Whitney always had a way of changing the subject of conversations with him. Sure enough, it kept him on his toes and could be considered exhausting by many people, yet somehow he still enjoyed their talks.

"You know what I mean!" Whitney insisted, her face taking on a more stern look, as if she were a teacher scolding a pupil. "You're so boring sometimes, you should just learn to lighten up every now and then."

"And how do you suggest I do that?" Zak questioned the girl's logic. She was a strange one alright - with her constant changes in mood he was never sure whether he was coming or going with her.

"That's simple." Whitney said plainly, a smile forming on her lips once again as she stood back onto the floor, leaning against the desk behind her. "You can take me out for dinner tonight."

"I what!?" Zak coughed, quickly shaking his head to remove the idiotic look of shock from his face.

"It'll be fun!" Whitney exclaimed excitedly, closing her eyes as she rattled off the possibilities. "You can tell me all about how your Pokemon journey is going and Falkner's not getting in until late, anyway."

"I..." Zak tried desperately to think of an excuse. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd been to a restaurant on his own, let alone with a girl. Especially a girl who's constant mood swings could mean a glass of water thrown in his face at any time during the evening. "I don't have much money..."

"We'll go halves!" Whitney continued. "C'mon, it'll be fun! You can pay me back later."

"But I..." Zak sighed. He wasn't going to get anywhere with these protests.

"You can meet me at my apartment tonight." Whitney explained as Nurse Joy approached and offered the girl her Pokemon back.

"But..." Zak murmured as Whitney accepted the Pokeballs and clipped them to her belt.

"It's on Oranap Street, number fourteen, room eight." Whitney ignored him as she gave the vague directions. "Pick me up around seven-thirty."

With that, Whitney hurried towards the exit of the Pokemon Centre excitedly.

"And don't be late!" she called behind her before finally slipping out of view.

Zak stared after her, speechless.

"This is going to be a long evening..." he sighed.

* * *

Zak looked up from the streets below and stared up into the slowly darkening sky, the sun not quite ready to surrender to the pressure of the stars quite yet.

The street lamps were on and the quiet roads of downtown Violet City were awash with colour. Lights bounced and reflected on the concrete and the early evening atmosphere was hanging on the air in the form of a comforting humidity.

Zak was a few minutes late, but was quite impressed by his ability to find Whitney's apartment after the vague instructions he received in the Pokemon Centre. He pressed the buzzer on the side of the building where Whitney said she would be staying and hoped she would answer. He would hate to have buzzed into someone else's apartment.

"Zak?" came a familiar voice through the speaker.

"Yeah..." Zak replied with more than a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

"I'll be right down." Whitney's voice rang through the speaker cheerfully. "Give me two minutes."

Zak sighed and sat on the porch of the building, staring up at the stars. He was fully aware that he wasn't dressed for the occasion, and he felt guilty for that, but there was nothing he could do. Pretty much everything he brought with him was suited for outdoor survival and all he had in his backpack at the Pokemon Centre were a couple of spare t-shirts and a pair of jeans.

Tonight he was wearing a dark blue t-shirt and black khakis, the only pair of pants he had which weren't of the denim variety. They were also probably the only pants he had which weren't covered entirely in grass stains.

The trainer sighed a little. He missed the comforts of his home, and he also missed his family. Mom, Sora and Dad...

It soon became apparent that Whitney was never on time. It was a full twenty minutes before she arrived at the door, though Zak had to admit she was worth the wait.

Whitney was dressed in a long white skirt with pink trims at the bottom which came down to her ankles and a matching top. These two were separated by her usual black leather belt, complete with Pokeballs as Zak would expect. Her flowing pink hair was no longer confined to the style of her usual pigtails and hung down to her shoulders, making her smile even more captivating than usual. She wore pale gold earrings shaped like narrowed diamonds - almost resembling her Plain badge - and a long silver necklace with pearls hanging from the front, just below her collarbone where the neck of her top began.

"You're late." she tutted audibly at Zak, forcing him out of his dream-like state.

"Uh..." he thought to protest, but quickly changed his mind as he assumed she wouldn't take any notice of him anyway. "So where should we go?"

"I know a good Italian near the centre of town." Whitney suggested, stepping down from the porch and leading the way. "Come on, let's go."

Zak watched her for a moment, still a little awe-inspired - both by her appearance and her commanding attitude - but quickly followed after.

* * *

Zak sipped at the glass of water in his hands and soaked in the atmosphere.

The two trainers had decided to sit in the outside quarters of the restaurant and watch the nightlife go by. It was a comfortably warm evening and the fountains scattered around the square were a tranquil backdrop for dinner, but the problem of paying for this meal was still plaguing Zak's mind, hence the fact that he insisted on only drinking water, even if Whitney would kick him under the table in protest as he ordered.

Silence hung in the air between the two, whilst just outside the confines of the gated restaurant laughter and street music could be heard. Zak had grown used to the silence throughout the evening, though, and it no longer bothered him. Instead he would just idly stare up at the sky at random intervals, and occasionally admire the fountains and architecture of the Violet City streets.

"Am I boring you?"

Whitney's voice immediately snapped Zak out of his daydream.

"Uh," he grunted. "ah, no, it's not that."

As well as having grown used to the silence, he had also grown used to talking with her.

"So what have you been up to these past few months?" Whitney inquired, genuinely interested.

"I stayed in Azalea Town to train." Zak explained as waiters and customers shuffled in the background to and from the main building of the restaurant. "I eventually finished my training there and then heard about this tournament, so I figured I'd test my skills."

Zak paused, before adding:

"What about you?"

Whitney pondered this question for a moment before answering.

"Well, after Ilex Forest," she began, pushing her empty plate to the side of the table. "I decided I'd keep travelling on my own. I went back to Goldenrod then up through Ecruteak and took the scenic route to here. I've been here for about a month now, all the time training for this tournament."

"You've definitely improved." Zak commented.

"Well, I finally realised that in order to get stronger you have to broaden your horizons." Whitney added. "I could've stayed at the Gym and never gotten any stronger. I want to show the world that I can do it."

"Well, you are a Gym leader." Zak said. "Haven't you made it already?"

"It isn't about an occupation for me." Whitney explained, looking up towards the stars as she spoke and lifted her hand up as if she were tracing lines between them with her fingers. "Sure, I could apply for the Elite Four challenge if I wanted to, but that's not what I want."

Zak looked at her blankly as she looked back into his eyes.

"I want to prove myself." she said simply, determination obvious in her voice. "I want to be the best that I can be. Not for my uncle, not for Falkner - not for anyone except me."

Zak allowed a few moments of silence to help his mind absorb Whitney's words. It was at times like this that he was reminded that he wasn't the only person in this world, and that everyone had their own goals and aspirations, as well as their own methods of reaching those goals.

Whitney had gone from uncertain girl to powerful, positive woman in just a few months.

"So what's happening between you and Falkner?" Zak hazarded a question.

"Wh-what?" Whitney flushed a light red at Zak's words. "What do you mean?"

"You said you guys were an item," Zak noted. "and he's very protective of you."

"We used to date, yes," Whitney conceded. "but that was a long, long time ago. Things have changed. We were just kids then. He's letting me stay in one of his apartments for the tournament."

There was another short pause before Whitney added:

"We're friends."

"He seems like a pretty popular guy." Zak said plainly.

"Well, he's pretty smart." Whitney replied. "He's always had a good head for business. He does modeling and endorsements and all sorts of stuff. He gets a lot of money from sponsors and he helps fund a lot of the city's Pokemon development."

"But he's just a friend." Zak coughed. He could tell he was getting to her, little by little.

"Well..." Whitney sighed, turning to face the fountains towards her left, the trickling sound of the shallow water calming her thoughts. "I guess he IS a little protective. But he's like that with all the girls. I'm really not interested. Right now what's important to me is improving my skills. I don't have time for anything like that."

"Are you all done here?" came the patient voice of a waiter at the side of the table.

"Uh," Zak stammered, caught off guard. "yeah, uh, here..."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, ready to part with what little money he had, when Whitney stopped him.

"Hey, I told you." she snapped. "We're going halves."

Zak smiled at this. That was Whitney - she meant what she said.

* * *

Though quiet in places, the evening had been an extremely enjoyable one. Zak and Whitney had decided to go for a walk through the streets of Violet City and the place seemed to be bustling with dining tourists and honeymooning couples. Zak probably would have been more nervous about walking a girl home if he was more certain of the status of their relationship, but Whitney had already proven herself to be a good, reliable friend, and he was happy with that.

Just as Whitney pointed the two of them to turn a corner and they began to make their way through one of the many narrow alleyways away from the main streets, she began to speak up.

"So..." she muttered, not entirely sure how to word this. "Did you ever get Scizor back?"

"Ah, no." Zak answered.

He was actually surprised at how undaunted he was at this subject with her. He expected to freeze up a little and stutter his words even more than usual.

But he also realised that she deserved the honest truth...

Zak turned to face the girl and put his hands on her shoulders, looking into her eyes. She was a little startled by this sudden change in his demeanor, but she offered no resistance.

"Whitney..." Zak murmured, trying to find the correct words. "About earlier, in Ilex..."

Whitney said nothing, but her eyes showed an intense curiosity.

"I'm sorry." he began, looking away. "I should've been honest with you from the start..."

"I'm listening." Whitney whispered softly.

Zak wandered to the opposite wall and leaned against it, thinking hard about how he could put his feelings into words and bring the girl up to speed on his quest.

"The reason I'm here in Johto..." he stammered as he spoke, as if he was making the sentences up as he went along. "The reason I'm here is... I'm looking for my father."

"Your father?" Whitney asked, though Zak ignored her and simply continued with the story.

"He's been missing for months now and ever since I got here people have been after me, talking about weird groups and ancient Pokemon. That kid-" he paused as he said this. "-the one who attacked you. He was from Team Rocket - or at least I think he was - and he took Scizor and entered the tournament to try and stop me from getting into their base which is just in the Ruins of Alph, and-"

"Woah, hold up." Whitney interrupted, offering a hand. "Team Rocket stole your Pokemon?"

"Yeah." Zak answered back, bluntly. "See, there was this guy in Azalea Town, Kurt, and he managed to track them and-"

"Zak..." Whitney began nervously. "Your Scizor never obeyed you, though... I know you're not going to like me saying this, but maybe..."

There was a long silence as Whitney gathered her thoughts.

"Maybe... You should just leave it. There are plenty of other strong Pokemon you can catch."

"You don't understand," Zak snapped. "Scizor is my Dad's Pokemon. I have to get it back, or else... Else my father would never forgive me..."

Zak sighed, then moved along the dark alleyway, his arms behind his head, looking up at the sky. Whitney watched him in silence, when all of a sudden he felt a tug on his foot and was sent crashing to the ground.

"Zak!" she called over, rushing towards him.

Zak hurriedly got to his feet, ignoring the pain that the impact of the hard sidewalk had given him and turned to see what he had tripped on. He could make out a small, dark brown creature with a large, polished white skull that was clutching a bone in it's hand, though he had no time to examine the figure in detail as he heard the rushing of wind coming towards him.

Quickly Zak jumped a few feet behind him and threw out a Pokeball into the darkness. There was a flash of light and a loud crash as his Magmar, Torch, appeared from the confines of it's Pokeball, it's fiery body illuminating every corner of the alleyway.

Both Zak and Whitney could now see the images of two Pokemon standing in the centre of the alley. The first one, which Zak had fallen over, stood just over one foot tall, whilst the second one, a lot taller and meaner looking, stood just under four feet tall.

"A Cubone and Marowak?" Whitney stammered, backing away from the two of them. "What are they doing in the city? They're obviously not from around these parts."

"You're right." Zak agreed, staring into the blue eyes of the Marowak. "And that Marowak doesn't seem too friendly. Torch, be on your guard!"

Torch nodded silently, it's flames igniting in an attempt to show it's strength. The Marowak, however, was clearly unimpressed.

"There's something weird about this one, though." Whitney thought to herself out loud, staring at the Marowak intently. "It feels... Evil..."

"Evil?" Zak echoed. "What do you mean?"

Both Zak and Torch dodged a rushing Headbutt attack from the Marowak, but as Zak stepped to the side, he noticed that the creature seemed to be leaving a shadowy trail as it flew through the air. Whitney was right - this was clearly no ordinary Pokemon, and Zak had never even heard of such an attack.

"Whitney's right." Zak growled, crouching low to the ground. There wasn't enough space to maneuver around here and a battle would be difficult to contain, especially if he was going to protect Whitney. He promised her he would get her home safely.

Zak turned to his Pokemon before calling out his orders.

"Be careful, Torch. Don't attack this thing head-on."

Torch nodded, then quickly dodged another rushing attack by the Marowak before countering with a powerful stream of fire. The Marowak immediately turned, spinning it's bone weapon like a wheel and sending the flames rushing straight back at Torch.

Zak gritted his teeth as he watched the battle unfold.

"Well well well." a voice called out from the shadows behind Zak, who immediately turned to face the stranger.

Standing before Zak was the boy from before - Axel. He was still wearing the same, strange armour from outside the Team Rocket base and his smile boasted of an arrogant confidence which could be easily backed up by power. In his hand he idly threw a Pokeball, ready to throw it down at any moment.

"Axel." Zak hissed.

Torch continued to stare down the Marowak, though the Ground-type now appeared to be more interested in Axel than anyone else.

"I honestly thought we would get to face each other in the stadium, Zak." Axel laughed. "To be honest I'm a little disappointed, but I can deal with disappointment. A job is just a job, after all."

Hearing footsteps, Whitney spun around and turned to face the other entrance to the alleyway, where she too saw a familiar face step out of the shadows.

Tanner.

"Remember me?" the boy chuckled, also holding a Pokeball. "A textbook pincer movement, Axel. I should've known a clueless trainer and an airhead girl would fall for the most basic of strategies."

"Nothing personal, Zak," Axel sniggered, throwing down the Pokeball in his hand. "but we're going to have to kill you."

"And your little friend here, too." Tanner added, grinning at Whitney.

"We don't have time for this." Zak growled, then turned to Torch. "Let's get this over with quickly."

Torch gave it's trainer a thumbs up before turning to face Axel, flames shooting out from all over it's body.

"I'm going to enjoy this." Axel said simply as he threw his Pokeball down towards the Magmar. "Magneton, come on out!"

"Heracross, come forth!" Tanner cried, throwing his own Pokeball down towards Whitney.

As the light died down both trainer's Pokemon emerged into the darkness of the alley. Axel's Magneton - a large, floating collection of three metal orbs with two magnets attached to each - hovered menacingly in the air, electricity crackling all around. Tanner's Pokemon - Heracross, a humanoid Bug-type with a large horn protruding from it's forehead - was much more subtle in appearance.

Both creatures, however, shared one thing in common: they were incredibly powerful.

Both Torch and the Marowak appeared undaunted, Torch staring down Magneton, whilst the Marowak glared at Heracross.

"I was hoping I'd get the chance to see you again." Whitney chuckled, whipping a Pokeball from her belt and throwing it in the direction of Tanner's Heracross. "Mareep, I choose you!"

From the confines of her Pokeball, Whitney's Pokemon Mareep appeared. It, like Magneton, was clearly an electric type. The creature stood on all fours and covering it's dark blue body was a fluffy coat of yellow wool, charged to the roots with a powerful collection of static electricity.

"Mareep, huh?" Zak asked over his shoulder.

"You can't be a monotype forever, Zak." Whitney laughed back. Amazingly, she seemed to be more excited than worried by this situation.

"Enough games!" Tanner yelled, pointing straight at Whitney's Pokemon. "Heracross, Megahorn!"

"Mareep, Thunder Wave!" Whitney yelled back.

Heracross charged straight for the creature headfirst, it's huge, powerful horn charging with a green energy. As it approached, Mareep let out a soft baa and lit up the alley with an electrical flash, covering Heracross and forcing it away in a blinded state.

"Now Charge, then use Thunder!" Whitney ordered.

Tanner shielded his eyes as Mareep's coat of wool began to glow an intense yellow, the air all around crackling with electrical energy before the creature unleashed it's fury on the stunned target. With a deafening roar like thunder, Mareep's attack rained down on it's opponent, drowning Heracross in a sea of light.

"Heracross, Rock Slide!" Tanner screamed.

It's orders received, Heracross shook away the fatigue from such an intense electrical blast and began charging into the walls surrounding the alleyway. With a barrage of powerful punches and kicks, the brickwork from the buildings began to dislodge, tumbling down onto the unsuspecting Electric-type Pokemon below.

"You're better than I thought, you little bitch." Tanner hissed, enjoying the look of horror on Whitney's face as she watched Mareep getting bombarded by debris. "But trust me, I won't let you land another hit."

As Heracross descended down onto the pile of rubble, it's fist ready to strike, the form of a Marowak could be seen colliding into the creature and sending it crashing into a nearby wall.

"What!?" Tanner cried, swiftly turning to face this new combatant.

Marowak stood above Heracross, it's body surrounded by a shadowy, black mist. The creature appeared angry, even more so than when it had attacked Zak just moments earlier. It stared towards Tanner with empty, lifeless blue eyes, as if captivated by blood lust.

It had the boy's scent and it was ready to pounce.

"What the Hell is wrong with this Marowak!?" Tanner stammered, taking a step back. His legs were shaking and his heart pumping as those eyes began to bore deeper and deeper into his soul. "It's like it's... Looking right through me..."

"It's just some wild beast!" Axel yelled over the fight, being sure to keep his eyes on Magneton and Torch at all times, who were currently engaged in a long-ranged duel between Flamethrower and Thunderbolt. "Kill the damn thing if it gets in our way!"

As Axel spoke, Marowak raised the bone weapon in it's hand and began to rain down a barrage of hits on the defiant Heracross which struggled below it.

Heracross watched as it's attacker stared down at it. It's eyes were thirsty for blood, yet Heracross felt that it would not die at this creature's hands. Marowak wanted blood, yes, but not the blood of a Pokemon...

Heracross began to charge power to it's horn, summoning all of it's remaining strength in order to counterattack Marowak and defend it's master. Tanner could be cruel at times, but Heracross would not allow the human who raised him to die at the hands of this monster.

Marowak knew what the Pokemon was trying to do, and so began to charge a power of it's own. It's bone began to glow a dark, eery grey before Marowak slammed it into the side of Heracross' skull, sending the Pokemon flying down the alley and crashing near the pile of rubble from which Whitney's Mareep had just escaped.

"Heracross, return!" Tanner gasped, recalling the limp form of his Pokemon and taking another step away from the angry creature which stood before him.

Fumbling at his belt, Tanner grabbed a second Pokeball and opened it's release mechanism, bringing forth the Pokemon known as Xatu.

The tall, daunting form of Tanner's bird towered over the Marowak, but Marowak was less than impressed. The creature dashed straight towards it's foe, the weapon in it's hand ready to strike.

"Psychic, Xatu!" Tanner commanded. "Now!"

Xatu's eyes grew an intense green and Marowak's body began to feel as light as air. The creature looked down to realise that it was floating in mid-air, high above the ground, a pale aura of green, psychic energy surrounding it's form. Marowak struggled against the psychic powers of Xatu, but it was no use.

Suddenly a flash of lightning blasted straight into the wings of Xatu, causing the creature to lose focus and release Marowak from it's mental grip.

Tanner turned and growled, seeing Whitney and her Mareep glaring back at him defiantly.

"I thought I wasn't going to land another hit?" she mocked the boy, grinning proudly.

On the other side of the alley Torch was breathing heavily, exhausted from such an intense show of skills against Axel's Magneton. Magneton had since been recalled into Axel's Pokeball, but the fight was not over yet.

"That's not all, is it?" Zak panted, himself worn out after commanding in such a battle.

"I knew you'd be good, Zak," Axel commended the boy. "but I never realised you'd be this good. But I'm afraid I have to end this battle and take that sword from you now."

Axel laughed confidently, throwing down the Pokeball in his hands.

"It's time, Porygon!" he cackled as the illuminations of the Pokeball's release function lit up the alleyway once again. "Come on out!"

Zak gritted his teeth and looked over to Torch. Torch was insistent on continuing the fight, but it was obvious that the Magmar wasn't going to last much longer at this rate.

"Do you know much about Porygon, Zak?" Axel asked, taunting the trainer in a mocking tone.

"I have a feeling you're going to enlighten me, Axel." Zak hissed back.

"Heh, as sharp as always, eh?" Axel chuckled. "You see Porygon is essentially a virtual Pokemon. It exists partially in the real world and yet at the same time it exists outside of it as well."

"What's your point?" Zak growled, his fist clenched.

"My point, young Vangard," Axel continued, smiling like a madman. "is that you're doomed."

Porygon began to glow a bright yellow as it's trainer continued to speak.

"It's time, Porygon!" Axel howled. "Finish them all! Zap Cannon!!"

"That maniac's going to kill us if that attack goes off!" Whitney screamed.

Zak's eyes widened and he realised it was true. Their close proximity to the attack, combined with the narrow passage of the alleyway and the fact that Porygon seemed to be focusing all of it's energy into this one attack meant that they couldn't avoid it - they had to stop the attack from being used.

"Axel!!" Tanner yelled. "Are you insane!?"

"I will not lose here!" Axel screamed back, laughter beginning to overwhelm his voice. "I will not be defeated by anybody!!"

He pointed directly towards Torch and gave one final laugh before seconding his command.

"Now, Porygon!" he cried. "ZAP CANNON!!"


	20. The Mystery Is Finally Revealed!

The fierce crackling of powerful electricity filled the illuminated alleyway as Zak, Whitney and Tanner all stared in disbelief at Axel's Porygon. The creature, a smooth, yet blocky parrot-like Pokemon was coloured in light pink and green shades, and a gigantic orb of yellow energy pulsated in front of it.

"Now, Porygon!" Axel screamed, pointing directly at Zak's Magmar. "Don't hold anything back! ZAP CANNON!!"

"Dammit!" Zak yelled as the electrical storm began to rise in both size and volume. "Torch, quickly, Flamethrower!"

"Mareep, Cotton Spore!" Whitney added her own order to her Pokemon as Tanner simply backed away behind her.

Zak's Magmar, Torch, quickly leapt towards it's opponent and loosed a stream of fire from it's beak. The intense flames blasted straight towards Porygon, spreading out across the ball of energy which grew larger and larger with every passing second.

In a matter of moments both Torch and Mareep's attacks impacted into Porygon's body, the spores of cotton from Mareep's attack sinking around the creature's virtual 'feet' and dragging them down towards the ground, whilst Torch's Flamethrower engulfed the Pokemon in powerful flames.

Yet Porygon refused to give in.

"No!" Zak cried in despair as he began to see time running out.

"It's too powerful!" Whitney gasped, dread filling her voice.

Both trainers watched with agonising looks on their faces as Zap Cannon enlarged and threatened to engulf the entire alleyway, when all of a sudden Zak saw the movement of a familiar shadow from the corner of his eye.

"Maro!!" Marowak cried, swinging it's bone club and colliding with the powerful electric attack, black shadows emerging as the weapon began to melt through the electricity itself, forcing itself into Porygon's ethereal body.

Porygon was thrown back in silence, the Zap Cannon dispersing within seconds and sending small, static sparks everywhere.

"What!?" Axel gasped in shock before quickly regaining his composure. "Porygon, Conversion! Ground-type!"

Porygon vanished into the concrete of the alley floor, then quickly re-emerged behind Marowak, it's body now coloured a light brown as if it were made of mud. Marowak turned and stared down it's opponent, then charged headfirst with another shadow-propelled Headbutt.

"Porygon, Tri Attack!" Axel commanded. "Hurry!"

But it was too late. Without a moment's hesitation, the Marowak drove it's bone club down onto Porygon's head, sending the creature crashing into the ground, unconscious. The Marowak then turned, glaring straight up at Axel.

"Ugh..." Axel muttered, taking a few tentative steps back.

Marowak began to slowly approach the boy, but was stopped by the swift movement of a steel blade beneath it's throat. The creature looked up through the corner of it's eye and saw Zak standing there, wielding his father's sword and preventing the Pokemon from moving any closer to it's target.

"No." Zak said simply, his voice cold and distant, obviously mistrustful of the Marowak. "I won't let you hurt him."

"Zak..." Whitney muttered in the background, then turned to keep an eye on Tanner.

"Whitney," Zak began, turning back to the girl. "can you have Mareep use Cotton Spore on these two? I don't trust them to just sit back here on their own."

Whitney thought about this for a moment, then agreed that she would rather not have either Tanner or Axel wandering the streets of Violet City.

"Mareep?" she said, turning to her Pokemon. "Cotton Spore. Tie up these two for us."

Mareep nodded, shaking it's fleece and sending hundreds of tiny balls of wool towards both Tanner and Axel. These balls engulfed both of the trainer's hands and feet, leaving them unable to move and forcing them to remain in the alley for an indefinite period - at least until someone found them.

Both Zak and the Marowak glared at each other, though Zak made sure to sheath his sword. He didn't want to hurt the creature - indeed, both he and Whitney in part owed it their lives - but he felt nervous without the protection of his father's sword. Nevertheless, he did not want to show hostility towards it, especially after seeing what it could do to both Axel and Tanner's Pokemon.

"Torch, return." Zak called, pointing a Pokeball at his Magmar and absorbing the creature back into it's protective casing. He then clipped the ball to his belt and turned back to face the Marowak once again.

Marowak and Zak shared a powerful glare with one another in the silence of the alleyway. Behind them Whitney recalled her Mareep into it's Pokeball and approached Zak, being wary not to walk too close to the Marowak.

Hesitantly at first, Zak kneeled down to be closer to the creature. Marowak began to back away at first, but then shuffled closer, as if it had come to a sudden realisation. Zak noticed that it still tightly gripped the bone club in it's hand, ready to strike at any moment, so he made sure not to make any sudden movements that might startle the Pokemon.

"Thank you..." he began. He felt awkward talking to the creature, but he wanted to make sure that it knew he was thankful for it's help. Without it, both he and Whitney could have been dead by now. "For your help, I mean."

The Marowak remained silent, yet it's glare on the human seemed to lighten up. Suddenly the small figure of the Cubone ran up beside the creature, making sure to keep very close. Whitney stared at the tiny Pokemon for a moment, which seemed to blush slightly in response.

Marowak finally decided to stop glaring at the boy. Though it hated to admit it, it was going to require the aid of a human for it's plan to succeed and this human seemed trustworthy enough.

Marowak extended it's hand to Zak. Zak looked at the creature for a moment with a puzzled expression on his face, but he accepted it, giving the Pokemon a gentle handshake.

Zak held in a shudder as he touched the creature's hard skin. It felt as if Marowak was made of the coldest ice and again Zak noticed the dark shadows which seemed to exude from it's body.

"Hm..." Whitney thought to herself out loud as she watched the interaction between human and Pokemon. "Ah, of course!"

Both Zak and the Marowak turned to face Whitney in surprise.

"What?" Zak asked, worried. "What is it?"

Whitney kneeled down next to Zak and examined Marowak closely. Marowak glared at the girl but felt no threat of danger from her and so refrained from attacking.

"I've heard of an organisation based in Orre which creates powerful Pokemon, but in the process sacrifices their..." she hesitated at this point. "Their souls..."

"So you're saying," Zak began, skepticism in his voice. "that this Marowak doesn't have a soul?"

"Well, no, it's not that..." Whitney stammered. "But it's blocked by some kind of artificial force. Anyway, those Shadow Pokemon are just rumours."

"Then how did this Marowak get all the way from Orre to Johto?" Zak questioned. "It doesn't add up. Uh..." he turned to look back at Marowak. "Is any of this ringing a bell for you?"

Marowak nodded impatiently, then grabbed the bone club Cubone held, putting it together with it's own and making a cutting actions with the two weapons in mid-air.

"Uh..." Zak murmured, trying to decipher the mimes of the creature. "Pliers?"

The trainer quickly felt a slap to the head from Whitney.

"You dolt!" she groaned, scolding him. "Are you really that dense? They're scissors!"

"Ouch..." Zak sighed, rubbing his head. "Sorry... Uh, so," he resumed his conversation with the Marowak. "scissors? Uhm... Wait. ...Scizor?"

Marowak nodded once again, then pointed towards the bound forms of Tanner and Axel, taking a feint swing at them with it's bone club.

"You want to help me rescue Scizor?" Zak guessed.

Marowak nodded again. Success! These humans obviously weren't as stupid as it had first thought.

Marowak pointed to itself, then to the skull covering it's head, hoping to get it's next message across just as easily.

"Head..." Zak mumbled. "Uh, skull. Yeah, that's it, skull, right? So that's... That's your name?"

Marowak nodded once again.

"Pleased to meet you Skull!" Zak greeted the creature, smiling. "I'm Zak, and this is Whitney. And yes, of course you can help rescue Scizor. I could use all the help I can get."

"Zak..." Whitney stuttered, concern rising in her voice. "Are you sure you can trust this thing? I mean, it IS a Shadow Pokemon..."

Zak turned to Whitney and grinned.

"Relax, Whitney!" he chuckled. "Skull here just saved our lives. I trust him."

Zak paused again, then looked back down towards Skull, adding:

"You are a him, right?"

The Marowak simply groaned whilst nodding.

"Okay!" Zak exclaimed, pointing towards the darkened night sky. "Now's our chance. If we're going to rescue Scizor we've got to go now. Are you ready, Skull?"

Skull stopped, waving his hands and then pointing towards the Cubone beside him.

"Oh..." Whitney guessed. "That Cubone, it's just a baby... I get it, you don't want it getting hurt, right?"

Skull nodded.

"That's fine." Zak explained. "I needed to head back to the Pokemon Centre to get changed anyway, we can leave it there."

Skull growled at this, then immediately went on the defensive. He had heard rumours of these Pokemon Centres - or rather, Pokemon prisons, as he saw them.

"Relax!" Zak insisted. "Nurse Joy will take care of it. Nobody's going to take it away from you."

Skull stared up at the two trainers with suspicion in it's eyes.

"You have my word." Zak added.

Skull thought about this for a moment. The Cubone was precious to him, more so than his own life. Yet he looked into this boy's eyes and felt a sense of undeniable trust exuding from them, a truly rare quality in humans; or at least, any humans he had met before now. He had to have some faith in his ally.

Eventually the Marowak nodded, indicating for Zak to lead the way.

"Wait." Whitney spoke up, staring down towards the ground.

Both Zak and Skull stopped in their tracks and turned to face the young girl.

"I'm coming with you, Zak." she continued, looking him straight in the eyes. "And don't even think of arguing with me."

Zak stared back into her chestnut eyes, which refused to blink or shudder as she spoke. He wanted to protect her, and heading into Team Rocket's base felt like virtual suicide. But he knew that no matter how much he argued with her, she would bring herself along regardless.

"...Alright." he sighed. "Come on, then. We should hurry."

And so, the four new companions headed off into the night, leaving the defeated and bound forms of Tanner and Axel lying in the alleyway to await their rescue.

* * *

Both Zak and Whitney entered the Pokemon Centre to see two very familiar faces standing just in front of the main healing desk.

Falkner and Zeni were both glaring at each other as Zak, Whitney, Skull and the Cubone approached the desk where both they and Nurse Joy were standing.

Suddenly Falkner turned, noticing Whitney from out of the corner of his eye.

"Where have you been!?" he demanded, turning to face the newcomers.

"Falkner!" Whitney mumbled, looking decidedly guilty. "I thought you wouldn't be back until late!"

"It IS late." Falkner snapped, pointing towards the main clock of the Pokemon Centre.

Whitney looked up towards the clock and gulped as she realised the time: eleven-thirty. Their battle with Axel and Tanner must have dragged on for longer than either of them had anticipated.

"Uh, sorry about that." she giggled shyly.

"I see you were out with this guy." Falkner noted, casting a glare towards Zak, who merely shoved past the Violet City Gym leader and headed to the front desk.

"I don't have time for this." he said simply as he passed, gently picking up Cubone and placing it on the desk in front of Nurse Joy. "Nurse Joy; sorry, but would you mind looking after this Cubone for us for a couple of hours?"

"Of course." Nurse Joy replied happily, albeit somewhat confused by the trainer's sense of urgency. "Is it a wild one?"

"Yeah, we, uh..." Zak started, rubbing the back of his head nervously.

"We saved it from a group of wild Ekans." Whitney lied, interrupting Zak, whom she realised had no clue how to lie on the spot. Zak flashed her a passing smile, impressed by the girl's quick thinking.

"Hey, what's with the Marowak?" Zeni's voice spoke up as the boy next to Zak kneeled down and peered closely at the creature, which glared directly back at him with an angry look in it's eyes.

Zeni began to prod Skull with his finger inquisitively, then was forced to immediately pull back when Skull retaliated with a swift swing of his bone club.

"Uh," Zak stammered, thinking quickly and winking at Whitney before heading towards his bunk. "I've gotta go get changed, can you look after him?"

Whitney simply nodded in reply, making sure Zeni didn't approach the creature for a second time.

"So you mind telling me what you were doing with that guy?" Falkner questioned the girl again, leaning against the desk as Nurse Joy walked back into the staff corridor with Cubone.

"We went out for dinner." Whitney answered curtly. "And?"

"Dating a rival is not a good idea." Falkner explained, his eyes drifting down towards the Marowak at his feet, which appeared to be doing it's best to mind it's own business.

"You two went out on a date?" Zeni chimed in, a look of strange puzzlement crossing his face. "He never said anything to me!"

"It wasn't a date!" Whitney insisted, waving her hands in front of her, slight blushing evident on her face as she spoke. "We were just catching up on old times is all..."

"Well, I wouldn't go out with Zak, anyway." Zeni added, grinning and adjusting his sunglasses. "He snores pretty loud, y'know."

"Why are you wearing sunglasses during the night?" Falkner interrupted the boy.

"Hey, the ladies love a mysterious man." Zeni laughed, turning to Whitney. "Am I right?"

"Uh..." Whitney mumbled. "I'm... Going to go see if Zak's ready."

"Ready?" Falkner stepped in front of the girl, blocking her path towards the rows of bunks. "Ready for what?"

"We've got to do something." Whitney said simply. "We won't be long. A couple of hours, maximum."

"So your date hasn't finished yet?" Falkner continued to press the question, his eyes cold and distant.

"It's not a date!" Whitney groaned, aggravation beginning to get the best of her.

"Then you won't mind if I come along, too." Falkner suggested.

Whitney stopped, smiling nervously. She hadn't anticipated this reaction.

"Uh, well, y'see, uhm..." she mumbled under her breath, staring down at the tiled floor.

Skull was still standing beside the front healing desk, waiting for the humans to get ready and lead him to the base. These humans weren't particularly fast at acting, and he wished they would hurry up so he could exact his revenge on Team Rocket quickly and smoothly.

From behind Falkner, Zak quickly reappeared into view, wearing his usual white t-shirt and black jeans. He looked Whitney up and down before asking:

"Uh, are you going to be alright in that outfit?"

"Alright, that's it!" Zeni yelled, pushing inbetween Whitney and Zak. "Where the heck are you two going!? We've got training to do tomorrow and I'm not letting you disappear in the middle of the night!"

"Relax, Zeni," Zak said, trying to calm the younger trainer down. "we're not going to be long, we're just-"

"I'm coming with you." Falkner snapped, stepping opposite Zak and looking straight into his eyes. "I won't let Whitney wander around after dark unsupervised."

"Gee, thanks, DAD." Whitney sighed.

"Well, if he's going, then I'm coming, too." Zeni declared, lifting his arm up high as if giving a salute to the air itself.

"You'd better lose the sunglasses, then." Falkner chuckled. "We don't want you getting lost on the way."

"Gee, that's a great idea!" Zeni retorted with mock excitement in his voice. "Hey, y'know I think you'd better lose the insults before I PUNCH YOU IN THE FACE."

"Okay, you two." Zak began, putting himself in-between Falkner and Zeni in order to stop any unwanted situations occurring. "I'll brief you guys on the way, just don't touch the Marowak."

The trainer looked down towards Skull and their eyes met.

"You ready?" he asked.

Skull simply nodded. And so the team proceeded to exit the building and head out into the night.

* * *

As soon as the group had left the safe confines of the city the landscape became a pitch black canvas. Zak was thankful he had Torch's flames to lead the way through the eery forest towards where he had discovered the entrance to Team Rocket's base just yesterday.

The night sky was filled with many bright stars and the air was particularly cold tonight. Perhaps it was their distance from the warmth of the city, or perhaps it was the creepy atmosphere of the surrounding forest. Either way, Zak felt a shiver run down his spine as he and the others made their way closer towards the Ruins of Alph.

At last the group made their way to the same spot Zak had found before. Stooping down low, both Zak and Falkner inspected the ground. Sure enough, the steel hatch Zak had discovered was still there.

"It looks like it's locked by a security combination." Falkner explained, pointing to a slot on the side of the square outcrop. "See? It requires a keycard."

"Didn't those guys from earlier have anything on them?" Zeni asked earnestly.

Zak could kick himself. How could he forget about something so obvious!?

"It's fine." Whitney spoke up. "We could have Zak's Magmar here burn out the hinges."

"Hm..." Falkner considered this idea. "It's not a perfect situation, but it'll be a lot quieter than just forcing our way through."

"Then it's settled!" Zeni chuckled. "Come on, Zak. Do your thing!"

"Right." Zak agreed, turning to Torch. "You heard them, right, Torch?"

Torch nodded it's acceptance of the plan, and within seconds the metal of the hatch had begun to melt under the intense heat of the Magmar's Flamethrower attack.

With a hefty clunk the hatch dropped eight feet down into the corridor below, Skull immediately following. Zak looked to the rest of his companions before recalling Torch.

The corridor was bathed in pure, white light, and it was quite a strain on the eyes at first, though the group soon adjusted. The height of the corridor measured around eight feet tall and the room stretched down underneath the Ruins of Alph for many yards. All along the sides of the grey hallway were many doors which Zak assumed after checking through some of them all lead to small storage rooms.

"Do you have any idea where your father's Scizor is being kept?" Falkner questioned Zak, all of the humans making sure they stuck close to the walls whilst Skull merely strolled through the building admiring the scenery.

"Not really." Zak admitted. "But my guess would be it'd be further down in the complex under some tight security. They seemed pretty desperate to get a hold of it."

"Well, we're going to need to be a bit more covert about this, then." Zeni announced. "They probably keep some spare uniforms lying around somewhere in these storage chambers."

"Zeni, you're a genius!" Whitney exclaimed, causing the boy to blush.

"He actually came up with a good idea." Falkner whispered under his breath. "Amazing."

"Okay, everyone." Zak ordered. "Let's split up and search the storage rooms, but don't leave this main hallway. Got it?"

* * *

Sure enough, Zeni's hunch had proven correct and the group managed to find Team Rocket uniforms of all shapes and sizes. Giving each other enough time to change in privacy, the four reemerged in the main hallway and hurriedly made their way down the far end of the corridor. The corridor made one turn to the left and proceeded to stop at a pair of automatic double doors.

"Hm..." Zeni mumbled, peering through the glass window of the doors. "Looks like there's a guard on patrol. He looks pretty bored."

"Do you think we'll be able to fool him?" Whitney asked with worry.

"I've got an idea!" Zeni chuckled, then turned and whispered into Whitney's ear.

"Uh...!" Whitney stammered. "What!? Why me!? I don't wanna-"

"You're the only girl here!" Zeni insisted. "C'mon, you can do it, girl!"

"Eh..." Whitney sighed. "Fine... But if anything happens to me I'm holding all of you responsible!"

Falkner glared at Zeni, but made no complaints.

As soon as everyone was in place, Whitney began to stroll through the doors with her best possible girlish walk. She swayed her hips as she moved past the guard, the tight-fitting black spandex of her new Team Rocket uniform accentuating her curves.

Sure enough, a wolf whistle could be heard from the guard's position as he stared at the girl with wide eyes.

"Woah," he commented, moving away from his position beside the elevator. "hey baby. You new around here?"

As the man spoke his eyes seemed to fixate on the girl's chest.

"Uhm..." Whitney began, her heart pounding. She was terrified of getting caught, yes, but somehow she felt that that wasn't the most worrying potential outcome of this situation. "Yeah, I just got transferred today. I'm still not sure where everything is..."

"Oh yeah?" the man continued, grinning. "Well, what division are you in? This elevator goes to all the major parts of the base."

"Oh, really?" Whitney began to beat down her nerves and forced a flutter of her eyelashes. "I was told to..." she hesitated for a moment before continuing. "I was told to go retrieve some kid's Scizor."

"Oh." the man groaned, his smile quickly fading. "You're part of that kid brigade?"

"...Yes." Whitney coughed. "What floor is it on again?"

"Oh, it's down on the very bottom." the man explained, opening up the elevator and ushering the girl inside. As he did this, Whitney gave a frightened glance towards the door where she had come from, where she could see a passing shot of Zak through the window. "Here, lemme tap in the code for you."

The elevator beeped as the man punched in a few keys and positioned his face in front of the blacked out monitor for his identification scan. The doors of the elevator began to slide shut and Whitney hurriedly placed her foot over the motion sensor, forcing them open again.

"Uh?" the man glanced towards the girl, who smiled back innocently. "Ah, it sometimes gets stuck like this."

All of a sudden the Team Rocket grunt felt a powerful blow to the head courtesy of Skull the Marowak and his bone club. The man was sent careening into the back wall of the elevator, unconscious.

"Talk about cutting it fine, you guys!" Whitney growled, clenching her fists.

"Heh, sorry." Zeni chuckled, stealing the keycard from the agent's belt as the door closed on the group and the elevator began to speed down towards it's destination.

"Let's hurry up and get out of here." Falkner suggested, leaning against the wall of the moving transport. "I don't want Whitney to have to go through that again."

"Okay, let's stick close everybody." Zak exclaimed, his hand nearing the hilt of his sword as the elevator slowed to a halt.

The doors of the elevator slid open, exposing the group to what appeared to be a natural cave system. The rocks all around them were of a dark, muddy, rustic colour and what used to be a concrete floor beneath them was now replaced by a metal walkway which hovered a few feet above dark, foreboding water.

Zak lead the way, followed by Skull, Whitney, Falkner and Zeni. The large, empty room was notoriously quiet - there was not a sound to be heard, save for the constant noise of slowly running water.

Zak followed the direction of the walkway and the pale illumination of the lights installed amongst the rocks in the ceiling. Truly this base was a marvel of technology and he was amazed that Team Rocket had managed to keep this place a secret for so long, especially since it was built underneath the foundations of one of the most famous tourist attractions in the whole of the Johto region.

At last the group arrived before a small, square-shaped, concrete structure which ended the walkway.

"Is..." Whitney muttered. "This the place?"

"Only one way to find out..." Zak breathed, nerves building up in the pit of his stomach as he reached for the handle of the door which faced him. "You guys ready?"

Whitney nodded, though it was clear from the look in her eyes that she was more than a little nervous. It was only to be expected from a girl her age infiltrating a top secret facility of the one of the world's most powerful underground crime syndicates. She could admit to herself that she was scared, but she knew that she wasn't alone, and so that made her strong.

She also knew that she had made a promise to Zak that she would help him, and she refused to break a promise. She was here for him.

Falkner simply stared towards the door as Zak began to tug on the handle. He wasn't entirely sure why he was down here, but he knew that he had to protect Whitney. She was precious to him and he could never forgive himself if something happened to her that he could have prevented.

Zeni simply grinned. To be completely honest he was thrilled to be here; after all, adventure was half the reason he came to Johto in the first place, and he'd faced plenty of similar dangers before in his home region. Plus, back then he was on his own. Now he had Zak with him, and, despite having started out as rivals, their friendship had quickly proven to be a great one. He trusted the boy implicitly and he wanted to help him as best he could.

Skull simply slapped the bone club into the palm of his hand menacingly, showing that he was ready to use it against anything that stood in his way.

Zak gave a powerful heave and the concrete door swung open, revealing a small, square room with two bunk beds located in opposite corners. On the farthest bed, towards the left, sat a young girl with long, flowing red hair and a small blue Pokemon that resembled a seal on her lap. To the right, leaning against the far wall, was a boy with pale blue hair and large, rounded glasses.

The two of them were both clearly trainers, the girl aged around sixteen, the boy around twelve. Both stared towards Zak with a shocked look on their faces.

"Vangard!" the boy gasped, immediately reaching for his belt and throwing down a Pokeball.

From the pool of light from the Pokeball emerged the form of a gaseous, ethereal Pokemon which seemed to fade in and out of the light of the room. It possessed dark grey, translucent 'skin' and large, red and black eyes, and around it's flowing mane of hair was a necklace made of dull, lifeless red beads.

Zak did his best to ignore the creature, drawing his father's sword and heading further into the room.

"Where is Scizor?" he asked simply, his tone of voice not to be trifled with.

"Misdreavus, go!" the boy ordered. "Shadow Ball!"

The Ghost-type Pokemon quickly let out a high-pitched wail before spitting out a dark orb of black shadow which blasted straight towards the boy.

Zak rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack and glancing behind him as the Shadow Ball began to melt and corrode a small part of the concrete wall behind him.

"Tamara, go and contact Knite!" the boy yelled. "NOW!"

"Right!" the girl on the bed answered, dashing towards the door opposite Zak and the others and quickly exiting the room.

"We've got to follow her!" Whitney shouted as she, Falkner and Zeni all entered the room.

"Heh, I don't think so." the boy opposite them snickered. "I must admit I wasn't expecting you to beat Tanner and Axel so soon, Vangard."

Zak growled, gritting his teeth.

"You truly are your father's son." the boy continued.

"Where is my father!?" Zak cried. "Answer me!"

"I thought you would be able to tell us that." the boy answered back as he adjusted his glasses, a shot of his pale, violet eyes reflecting through the glass.

"I've had enough of your games!" Zak hissed. "Who are you!? And why do you want my Scizor!?"

"Heh, slow down, slow down." the boy chuckled. "One question at a time. My name is Rackus, and I work for a Pokemon trainer named Knite."

"Knite..." Zak's eyes widened as he came to a realisation. "The one who attacked my village!"

"That's the one." Rackus laughed, yawning. "Anyway, Knite knows all the details. It's a shame you won't get a chance to ask him, because this is where I finish your little adventure off once and for all."

"That's not happening." Zak retorted. "Besides, I count five against one."

"You'll need twice that amount to beat me." Rackus spat.

As soon as Rackus said this, Whitney, Falkner and Zeni each threw down a Pokeball of their own, revealing Clefairy, Dodrio and Squirtle.

"We'll just see about that." Falkner growled.

* * *

It was several minutes before the combined efforts of Zak, Zeni, Falkner, Whitney and Skull had forced Rackus down to his final Pokemon. The boy grinned, adjusting his glasses once more as reached for his sixth Pokeball.

"I must admit I'm impressed." he coughed, enlarging the Pokeball in his hands as he spoke.

Zak clenched his fist tightly. He didn't have time to mess around with this kid, but he had no choice - Rackus' Pokemon were unbelievably powerful; far more so than either Tanner or Axel's, and even Skull was having a hard time putting a dent in the boy's arsenal.

During their battle two of Zak's Pokemon had fainted, and he had lost count of how many his companions had left. As Zak pondered his next move, Ditto panting heavily in front of him, he watched as Rackus removed a familiar-looking Great ball from his belt and waved it in front of him.

"Your Scizor is right here, Zak." Rackus chuckled. "But there's no way any of you are going to get past me now!"

Without a word of warning, Rackus threw down his final Pokeball into the centre of the room.

"Come forth, Tyranitar!!"

A blinding flash of white light engulfed the room, causing everyone to flinch and shield their eyes. As the light began to fade, Zak looked up to see a gigantic dinosaur-like creature towering above him at seven feet tall, it's pale grey plates of rock-like armour pushing up against the ceiling of the small room and causing cracks to appear all around them.

The group all took a step back in awe, excluding Skull, who simply frowned at this new development and began to charge towards the far wall, propelling himself back towards the gigantic creature and taking a powerful swing of his bone club into Tyranitar's back, forcing sparks of shadow to fly from the impact.

Tyranitar roared, then proceeded to turn, whipping it's tail around the room furiously and forcing the humans to back hurriedly out of the room.

"This isn't good..." Zeni whispered as the team stepped out onto the metal walkway, still watching as Skull continued to fight the creature with all of his might.

"Not even Skull can take that thing down on his own," Whitney said worriedly. "especially after all he's been through tonight."

As the group began to consider their options, the building in front of them beginning to crumble and the roof of the caverns above them starting to crack, they heard a loud siren ringing out from all around as the lights changed from pure white to a dull, foreboding red.

"Attention, all personnel." a loud, booming voice called from the system's loudspeakers. "Intruder alert. Report to all base exits immediately."

"Dammit!" Zak cursed, drawing his sword and dashing back into the building with Ditto by his side.

"Zak, no!!" Whitney screamed, running after him only to feel the powerful grip of Falkner's shoulder pull her back.

"We have to get out of here." he said sternly. "NOW."

"I hate to admit it, but he right." Zeni agreed as he recalled his Sandshrew into it's Pokeball. "Zak can take care of himself. We should go grab the elevator for him."

Zak rushed into the rapidly crumbling building and pointed towards Skull as he continued to fight amid a veil of debris.

"Ditto, Transform!" he called.

Ditto obeyed it's master's command as best it could, shifting and moulding it's body into a perfect duplicate of the Shadow Pokemon. Though it lacked Skull's powerful shadow abilities it would still prove to be a powerful ally.

"Enough of this!" Rackus cried amidst the sounds of battle. "Tyranitar, Earthquake!!"

Tyranitar let out an ear-splitting roar which echoed throughout the caverns of the Team Rocket base before stomping down into the ground with it's feet and opening up a gigantic chasm in the centre of the room.

Zak and Ditto both leapt to the side, gigantic splashes being heard as slabs of rock and concrete fell down into the water below. Amid the violent sandstorm of rubble and dust that was flying all over the place, Zak could barely make out the image of Skull continuing to use his Shadow Rush attacks on Rackus' Tyranitar.

"Ditto, help Skull out." Zak ordered. "I'm going after Rackus."

Ditto nodded it's head, then proceeded to leap across the chasm of the room, throwing a Bonemerang attack towards Tyranitar as it went.

Zak watched the Pokemon for a moment, then quickly sheathed his father's sword before jumping across to the far side of the room. The door here was open, and Zak could hear loud footsteps clanging on the metal walkway as Rackus attempted to make his getaway.

Immediately Zak sprinted down the path after the boy, who's speed proved to be no match for Zak's. Upon reaching his target Zak leapt towards the boy and shoved him down onto the floor, punching him in the gut and pinning his arms and legs down against the cold metal grating below.

"Give me Scizor." Zak demanded, his eyes showing an inner fire which proved that he was not a man to be messed with.

"Alright!" Rackus wheezed, panting heavily in an attempt to regain his breath. "It's on my belt... In the Great ball...! Just let me... Go!"

Zak hurriedly snatched the ball away from Rackus and clipped it to his own belt before getting to his feet. He looked down on the boy lying below him before speaking up once more.

"You should get out of here." he suggested coldly, before running back towards the central building, where Skull and Ditto awaited him.

* * *

The battle with Tyranitar had proved tiring, even for Skull, though the Marowak refused to show this to Zak as the two of them hurried towards the elevator where Zeni stood waiting.

"Where are Whitney and Falkner?" Zak asked.

Zeni pointed up before answering.

"They already went ahead to try and find a route back to the top." he explained, sirens still wailing overhead. "Come on, we should hurry."

"Right." Zak agreed, then turned as he felt a tug on the bottom of his pants.

Skull looked up to the boy and shook his head, pointing towards the opposite direction where Rackus had gone.

"You're going that way?" Zak attempted to translate. "We've got to meet up with Whitney and Falkner."

Skull nodded, then took a step back as he began to make his way towards the rubble of the square building in the centre once more.

"You can pick Cubone up at the Pokemon Centre whenever you're ready." Zak called after the Pokemon. "Oh, and Skull..."

Skull stopped mid-walk as Zak looked down to the Great ball which housed his father's Pokemon.

"...Thanks."

Skull simply nodded, though he refused to smile. It had been a successful team effort, and he was surprised by how well a ragtag group of humans could work together. Perhaps their species wasn't quite so bad as he had first thought...

The elevator doors shut themselves in on Zak and Zeni as they watched the creature dive through the wreckage. Soon the transport was speeding up through the Team Rocket base at an immense speed until finally arriving at the correct location.

Both Zak and Zeni cautiously stepped out from the elevator, peering around corners as they retraced their steps towards the exit.

Zeni pushed his body against the automatic door they had entered earlier, which refused to budge.

"Locked?" Zeni's voice seemed to be dragged down with an agonised horror as he spoke.

"Dammit, they've locked us in!" Zak cried, frantically looking around for another exit.

"We should try the far corridor." Zeni began, pointing towards another corridor which stretched far away into the distance. "I just hope the others got out in time."

The two trainers sprinted through the Team Rocket hallway, suspiciously watching every corner and every door. There wasn't a soul in sight and, though the warning sirens continued to blare, it was far too quiet for Zak's liking.

After about five minutes of dashing through empty hallways the sirens finally began to fade away into nothing and the two trainers happened across a pair of large, automatic double doors, above which was written the word 'Hangar' in huge, red letters.

Zak and Zeni stepped towards the door and watched as the entrance to the hangar slid open, inviting them into the wide, open space.

Zak held in a gasp of awe as they entered. The hangar was absolutely enormous - almost as large as a football field and completely desolate. There was a large balcony which extended along the entirety of the hangar wall, suspended about eight feet in the air. The ground itself was painted with various plane markings and codes, and there were two small doors to the left and right which exited the room. The opposite wall was simply painted in Team Rocket's standard drab, grey colour-scheme.

"There must be an exit through here somewhere..." Zak whispered, his eyes darting wildly around the room, as if something would jump out and ambush them at any second.

Suddenly the doors slammed shut and the lights went dim. The hangar was pitch black and an eery silence hung in the air.

"I think we just got owned, Zak." Zeni sighed, fumbling around on his belt for a Pokeball before throwing it down in front of him. "Let's go, Slowpoke!"

Zak immediately reached for his own belt, bringing out his last Pokemon, Nidoqueen.

As the two trainers stood there in the centre of the hangar, surrounded by darkness, they heard the whirring of machinery and a loud hiss from a megaphone before a voice engulfed them through the room's loudspeaker.

"Greetings, children." the voice mocked.

Zak narrowed his eyes as he listened to the words carefully. The voice clearly belonged to an adult male, and it had a very formal, business-like tone to it, as if it were addressing a client.

"Who are you!?" Zak yelled out. He was terrified, but he made sure that he kept his calm. He had just defeated Axel, Tanner and Rackus in one night and he was ready for anything.

The voice simply laughed at this.

"My good boy, you are in no position to ask for my name." the voice replied arrogantly. "Guards - get them."

As the megaphone clicked off the lights returned to the hangar, forcing both Zak and Zeni to shield their eyes; though they had no such luxury for very long.

All of a sudden the two were surrounded by a gigantic swarm of Team Rocket grunts as far as the eye could see. There were literally hundreds of them, all dressed in traditional black and red uniforms, each with a Poison-type Pokemon standing beside them - all their eyes were locked intently on the two intruders.

"This is looking pretty bad..." Zak whispered to Zeni, their backs against each other.

"Y'know, you're a real mind reader, Zak." Zeni chuckled.

"I'm sorry I dragged you into all this..." Zak apologised, hanging his head in shame.

"You kidding?" Zeni laughed. "This is the most fun I've had in months!"

Zeni pointed straight into the crowd of Team Rocket agents.

"Alright, Slowpoke!" he cried. "Psychic!!"

Zak smiled as he looked at the boy who stood there, battling by his side.

'Thank you, Zeni...' he thought to himself before turning and pointing towards the crowd directly opposite him.

"Okay, Nidoqueen, it's our turn!" he commanded. "Hyper Beam!!"

With a united scream the tide of Team Rocket agents and their Pokemon descended onto the two trainers.

Though Zak and Zeni were completely outnumbered, their prowess with their Pokemon allowed them to more than capably hold their own. A blast of blue psychic energy erupting here, a storm of poisonous needles there, a beam of ice cutting it's way through a swathe of enemies - these were the standard for a good fifteen minutes worth of battling; though it soon became obvious that the two would be unable to keep this standard of fighting up for much longer.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a large trail of smoke blinded Zeni and his Slowpoke. With a swift kick to the stomach from some unknown Team Rocket assailant, the boy was sent flying into the crowd of Team Rocket grunts.

"Zeni!!" Zak yelled, kicking back another attacker as he turned to run after his injured friend who was now bound and gagged by several Team Rocket agents.

"STOP!!" a familiar voice bellowed from the far left balcony.

The entirety of the hangar craned their necks to see the source of the disturbance and Zak let out a gasp of surprise as he saw who was standing there, surrounded by a pure black cape which covered layers of bulky, metallic armour.

"...Knite...!" Zak breathed.

There, standing on the Team Rocket hangar balcony, was Knite. The same boy who had burned Zak's village to cinders without an ounce of remorse was once again standing before him, and once again he felt just out of reach.

Knite brushed a hand through his intense, fiery red hair and drew his lance, pointing it directly towards Zak.

"I've let you live long enough." he said sternly, his face as emotionless as always.

Zak growled, drawing his sword and recalling the exhausted Nidoqueen back into it's Pokeball.

"Stand back!" Knite barked at the swarm of Team Rocket grunts, who immediately obeyed, shuffling back towards the edges of the hangar and dragging Zeni's beaten body with them. "Do not interfere."

Zak and Knite glared into each other's eyes from across the room for a moment, the quiet murmuring of the numerous Team Rocket spectators gathered throughout the room all adding to the tension of the moment.

Zak's hands gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, refusing to let go. His heart began to beat faster and faster as the final moment was finally at hand. At last he would battle one on one with Knite and whether win or lose there was no escape for either of them.

Zak narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth as Knite leapt from the balcony and straight towards him.

This story would end here.

"Hyaaah!" Knite screamed with a reserved bloodlust in his voice as the sound of steel against steel clashed against Zak's ears.

Zak held strong, pushing back against Knite's lance and forcing him away before proceeding to step between the boy's legs and continuing to swing the blade of his sword down towards him.

Knite narrowly dodged the attacks from Zak's sword, crouching down low and sending a sweep kick directly for his opponent's legs. Zak saw this early and immediately jumped onto Knite's weapon, using it as a springboard to propel himself away from the attack and landing directly behind Knite. Quickly taking advantage of his enemy's surprise, Zak elbowed Knite in the back of the head, though he was unable to concentrate his full power into the attack.

Knite slid across the polished floor of the hangar before spinning on the spot and charging straight back towards Zak, making a feint swing towards the boy's head before quickly changing direction and stabbing towards his gut. Zak noticed this change in tactics just a fraction quick enough, bringing his wrists down and blocking the attack, though in doing so he lost his grip on his father's sword.

Knite decided to take full advantage of this as he thrust his lance up into the air, sending Zak's sword flying to the edge of the room. Zak began to topple backwards and this wasn't helped when Knite again sweep kicked the boy, this time succeeding.

Zak was knocked onto his back and quickly attempted to roll to the side but was stopped by a swift kick to the stomach by Knite.

Zak gasped, winded, but managed to maintain his focus long enough as the razor sharp tip of Knite's lance shot down towards his neck. Zak's hands caught the blunted sides of the weapon just in time to stop the attack and save his life, though this only caused Knite's eyes to flash with anger and the boy simply increased the pressure on his foot, causing a suffocating pain to shoot through Zak's body.

"You're good, Zak." Knite hissed softly. "But I'm better."

Rage bubbled away in the pit of Zak's stomach, easing the pain and giving the boy enough incentive to finally summon the strength to topple Knite, sending him crashing to the floor.

Zak immediately leapt to his feet, kicking into Knite's wrist and forcing the boy to give a yelp of pain as he dropped his weapon. Zak kicked the lance away towards the crowd of spectators, then grabbed Knite's ankle and began to spin his body around and around.

It took every ounce of strength the boy had, but Zak soon managed to fling Knite towards the wall of the hangar, causing the young warrior to skid and collide with the smooth, polished floor and roll to a stop just at the feet of one Team Rocket agent, who backed away with a terrified expression on his face.

Knite slowly got to his feet, looking up at the man who tried not to make eye contact. Knite's face was covered in cuts and he was bleeding quite visibly, though he simply spat on the floor and walked straight back towards Zak who was waiting for him in the centre of the room.

"I'm going to kill you." Knite growled, his breath ragged and torn. "I'm going to tear you apart, you annoying little thorn."

Zak simply smiled, the adrenaline now well and truly coursing through his body.

"But to do that," he replied cockily. "you'd actually have to hit me first."

Upon hearing this Knite immediately burst into a bloodthirsty scream and charged straight for Zak, his fist ready to strike him in the jaw. Zak was well prepared for this obvious move and began to lower his stance, ready to counterattack. But just at the last second Knite leapt into the air at a sideways angle, as if he were jumping past Zak. As he sailed through the air, his right foot turned inwards and he kicked Zak around the head with the back of his shoe.

Zak fell to the ground, nursing his head. Immediately he felt the strong arms of Knite wrap around his neck, threatening to snap it as he began to pull back forcibly.

"You think I'm that stupid?" Knite spat, pulling harder and harder on the boy's neck. "You think I'd lose my temper so easily? You have a lot to learn, Zak Vangard."

Panicking, Zak reached down for his belt with his left hand as his right arm attempted to break free of the headlock. He fumbled for one of his Pokeballs and eventually found the right one, throwing it down weakly in front of him.

The light of the Great ball faded, and there, standing defiantly in front of the two humans, was Scizor, it's navy blue armour shining beneath the light of the hangar.

"Scizor..." Zak pleaded, looking up towards the creature with the utmost sincerity in his eyes. "Please help me..."

Scizor watched Zak in the corner of it's eye, yet remained motionless.

"Please, Scizor." he breathed, his voice beginning to fade with every passing second as the headlock became tighter and tighter. "I know I haven't been the best trainer in the world, and I know I've let you down..."

Scizor continued to watch as Zak's eyes began to close and his hearing began to fade away.

"But I..." he gasped for air as he continued. "I've only ever... Wanted to make my father proud... Proud of me... To make you..."

Zak's senses were beginning to lose their grip on him as he began to fall into an unconscious state.

"To make you... Proud... I... I'm s... Sorry..."

His last vision was of his father as the light of the hangar faded into black.

"Salamence, Hyper Beam!" the voice of a girl echoed through the gigantic room as a beam of light forced it's way towards it's target.

The sound of metal clanging against concrete could be heard, and one dull, low-pitched voice could be heard in Zak's head.

"Zak!!"

"!?"


	21. Cloaks and Shadow

Sand and dust blasted across the face of the young boy as he shielded his eyes from the violent storm.

The dunes were shifting in violent, random patterns, causing miniature tornadoes of debris which flew across the landscape and pushed into any and all that stood in their way. Yet just beyond the horizon, amid the arid confusion of the shifting desert, the boy could see the edge of the world.

"We're almost there, you guys." Zeni whispered with what little energy he had left in his voice as he stared down towards the Pokeballs clipped on his belt. "We're almost... There..."

* * *

The dark, damp room was suddenly filled with ragged breathing and the rapid pumping of a heartbeat. Zeni's eyes suddenly opened and he stared wide-eyed towards the opposite wall.

His entire surroundings were coloured a dark, rustic brown and the walls seemed to drip with moisture, causing loud echoes to engulf him. His feet were firmly planted on the ground, though moving his hands proved difficult as he felt the cold steel of rusted shackles brush against his skin.

"Uh..." he murmured, lifting his head and trying to absorb his surroundings. "What...?"

"So you finally decided to wake up." the angry voice of Falkner hissed from the boy's left.

Zeni peered over towards his former partner, who was also chained by the wrists against the wall.

"Oh, it's you." he groaned, still feeling groggy from his recent awakening. "What happened?"

"Never mind that!" Whitney snapped from Zeni's right. "What happened to Zak? Why isn't he here with us?"

Zeni peered over towards the Goldenrod Gym leader and noticed that, she too, was chained to the wall in the exact same fashion he and Falkner were.

"Zak..." Zeni mumbled, trying to recall his memory with more than a little difficulty.

"I knew this was a bad idea..." Falkner sighed.

"I never realised Zak was in such trouble..." Whitney mumbled, sadness spreading across her face. "And I gave him such a hard time... Back in Ilex..."

"Of course he's in trouble!" Falkner growled, his anger rising more and more. "He makes us sneak into a Team Rocket base without any backup? The kid is crazy!"

"We've got to rescue him." Zeni suddenly spoke up, his eyes shifting onto the metal door in the corner of the room near Whitney.

There was an odd silence for a moment as the two Gym leaders pondered this idea.

"And just who's going to rescue US?" Falkner asked with a sneer in his voice.

Zeni refused to answer this, instead he simply stared intently at the iron door which possessed a window with four, short vertical bars obscuring their view of the outside.

"But it's strange," Whitney began hesitantly. "I don't think those people were Team Rocket members..."

She looked back over towards Zeni before continuing.

"Zeni, you were with Zak, weren't you? What happened?"

Zeni simply stared down at the ground, his face emotionless, but his eyes beginning to mist.

'It's just like...' he thought to himself, sniffing slightly. 'Just like before... I can't let him down. I CAN'T...'

"Okay!" Zeni yelled suddenly, startling the other two trainers. He hurriedly turned his head towards Whitney. "Do we still have our Pokemon?"

Whitney simply shook her head.

"They're not THAT idiotic, y'know." Falkner added.

"That's no problem!" Zeni chuckled, his frown now turning into an enormous grin. "I still have my sunglasses."

"Your sunglasses?" Falkner repeated incredulously.

"Just watch." Zeni snickered, reaching for a stick on the floor with his feet.

* * *

One long yawn escaped from the mouth of one of the girls sat around the modest, wooden table. She quickly reached for the mug of coffee in front of her and took a long sip, hoping for a sudden caffeine boost.

"You tired?" another girl asked. She, too, shared a similar look of drowsiness.

The first girl nodded, flicking back her dark, raven-coloured hair.

"We've been up for hours planning this raid." she explained simply. "Though I have to admit it was a lot easier taking down Team Rocket than I had first thought."

"Heh," the second girl chuckled, sharpening the blades of the sai which lay in her lap. "yeah, they were pretty pathetic, I guess."

"Excuse me, ladies." one dark, low-pitched male voice spoke up.

Both women turned to face the newcomer. He was a tall young man in their age range of the mid-twenties and wore a shorter, dark red version of their uniforms. His hair was long and braided into a ponytail, coloured a dark, bloody red and his eyes were a mild, chocolate brown. On his back were two sheaths which housed two magnificent samurai swords which overlapped with each other into a menacing cross shape.

"Oh, it's you, Jeru." the first girl sighed, returning to her coffee.

"I was ordered to inform you both that your breaks have ended." Jeru said firmly with no sign of emotion in his voice. As he spoke his eyes simply stared towards the area of the two girls, neither one refusing to blink. "The mistress would like you to return to guard cell thirty-seven."

"Aww, man..." the second girl whined, sheathing her sai as she spoke. "We've got to guard a bunch of Team Rocket grunts?"

"Those are your orders." Jeru confirmed simply.

"Why can't we watch over the hottie in the royal chambers?" the first girl suggested, more to herself than anyone else.

Reluctantly the two women got to their feet and began the long trek through the vast, brown stone corridors.

Jeru watched them as they went, though he said nothing until footsteps began to approach from his right, prompting him to turn.

"Mistress Yuki." he greeted her, again lacking any form of emotion in his voice, though he did bow to her. "Your mother wishes to see you in the royal chambers right away."

The young girl, around the age of fifteen, bowed to Jeru, though she refused to smile.

"Thank you, Jeru." she replied, bowing to the older man before turning and heading down through the opposite corridor.

The hallways themselves were coloured a dark, terra-cotta brown and showed obvious signs of age. Yuki sighed as she made her way towards the royal chambers. She had grown used to this place over the course of the past few months, yet the ancient carvings which dominated the walls still unnerved her ever so slightly.

Yuki was an undeniably pretty young woman, bearing straight, golden blonde hair which was tied at the base of her neck and flowed down past her shoulders to the small of her back. Her eyes were a bright, crystalline blue and her face was not too rounded, yet not too sharp. She stood at just over five feet tall and wore a similar uniform to that of the other women who were positioned throughout the ancient complex.

The robe she wore was similar to that of a traditional martial arts uniform, though it was a lot less thick and flowed with more artistic flair than it's distant cousin. It was coloured entirely white, save for a single blue stripe which edged around the lower tip of her sleeves, pants and skirt. On her back was fastened a brown leather strap which held a long, wooden staff with the blade of a small axe protruding from the end, resembling a customised halberd.

Eventually, after walking for several minutes, Yuki arrived at the large, iron double doors which signaled the entrance to the royal chambers. Ignoring the two guards stationed on either side, she knocked loudly on the doors before pushing them open and entering the huge room.

The royal chambers were not particularly tall, but they were wide and inviting, with red and yellow silk running down across the walls and a large, double bed situated in the central altar. The silk decorations ran down across the bed and became the sheets themselves, providing what would most certainly be a luxurious night's stay.

Yuki surveyed the large, empty space before heading to her right and towards the secondary chamber, which she knew was her room. Just as she was about to enter, however, she heard a voice call out to her from far behind.

"Yuki, my beloved daughter!" came the voice of the woman, who spread out her arms and invited the girl to approach.

Yuki turned and made her way towards her mother.

Yuki's mother, Velcia, was still attractive despite her age. She had long, flowing purple hair which was currently held in two buns on either side of her head, and she wore a large amount of dark purple eye-shadow. Her face was absolutely flawless, though Yuki knew that this was in part thanks to her strict makeup regime. Her mother refused to leave her chambers before painting her face a stunning, pearly white and this was yet another reason that made it feel like she was far above any other human.

Velcia wore a thin, light purple gown which displayed her slim midriff and matching gloves which made her hands and fingers look long and slender, like those of an angel. A more bulky and concealed version of this same material covered her chest and below her hips, and on her shoulders she wore a large, gold and red cape with silk tassels which fell along her arms.

Yuki knew that her mother had always had a fondness for jewelery, and sure enough a long, thin silver necklace with a crescent moon pendant attached hung down around her neck, whilst on her forehead she wore a thin but beautifully carved silver tiara, a brilliant, oval topaz sparkling in it's centre.

Yuki approached her mother, who pulled her into a warm embrace. There was a long pause of silence for a moment before the two of them withdrew from this greeting and Velcia spoke up again.

"Have you seen him, yet?" she asked, a schoolgirl's excitement escaping from her normally regal voice.

Yuki rolled her eyes before answering.

"No, mother." she replied. "Not yet."

"Then come, come!" Velcia insisted, putting her hand behind Yuki's back and guiding her gently into the nearby chamber. "I am so very excited for you, my dear. So very, very excited."

Yuki said nothing as her mother continued to fantasise.

"For almost seventeen years we have been planning for this moment..." she continued as she pushed open the door and allowed her daughter to step inside with her into the small, twenty foot by twenty foot room. "Seventeen years of waiting for this day to finally arrive!"

Yuki surveyed her surroundings. Despite her high position of second-in-command to her mother, she had never been allowed to enter this chamber ever since they had relocated to the Ruins of Alph. It was styled in much the same way as her own personal chambers, though the floor was covered in silk as well in addition to the walls and the small, single bed. Pastel coloured pillows were scattered throughout the area and on the bed lay a young boy, looking not much older than seventeen years...

Zak slowly opened his eyes and stared up at the gold and red ceiling, his mind finally returning to consciousness.

"Ugh..." he groaned, squinting at the lights and colours which surrounded him. "...Where am I...?"

* * *

Zeni eventually managed to pick up the stick between his feet, curling his body and shifting his weight into his hands in order to lift his feet and grab the twig between his teeth.

"Wow." Whitney stammered, impressed. "You're very flexible, y'know that, Zeni?"

Zeni simply winked at the girl before replying as he began to pick the lock on the shackles that bound his wrists.

"'Ou shoul' see me when I'm sleepi'." he responded with some difficulty. Whitney simply groaned.

After a few minutes of furious lock-picking Zeni eventually heard a loud, satisfying click as his right hand was freed from it's metal confines. Immediately he removed the stick from his mouth and began to unpick the second shackle.

"Impressive." Falkner admitted, watching the young thief go about his work.

"I try." Zeni chuckled, always happy to receive praise.

It took the boy only a few minutes to successfully unpick the locks of the other two prisoner's shackles and soon the three of them were walking around freely within the confines of their small cell.

Zeni peered through the crack at the side of the door, making careful notes in his mind on what the hinges were made of and how much pressure would be required to break the lock.

"Looks like it's bolted from the other side, too." Zeni explained. "I can pick the lock pretty easy but that'll be more difficult..."

"Great." Falkner sighed, flicking his hair back. "Was this part of your plan, too?"

"You can stay here if you'd like." Zeni laughed quietly. "I'm sure it'll feel a lot cozier with just me and the lady."

Falkner scowled at this, but said nothing.

"I think we'll have to make some noise." Zeni said after a long silence.

"You have a plan?" Whitney questioned, intrigued by the boy's ingenuity.

"Something like that." Zeni admitted, then motioned to the two of them to come closer. "Now listen up..."

* * *

"Isn't he handsome, Yuki?" the voice of Velcia rang in Zak's ears. "You're just as I imagined you'd be!"

Zak groggily began to push himself up from the bed, his head continuing to pound relentlessly.

Yuki remained silent in response to her mother's words and simply watched the boy with mild interest.

Zak looked over towards the two women and continued to squint at them, not entirely sure what was going on. The last thing he could remember was fighting with Knite and then...

"!!" Zak gasped, then leapt off the other side of the bed and turned to face the two women, his hand reaching for his sword. Or at least, where his sword used to be.

Zak stared down towards his belt. His Pokeballs had been removed as well. The boy clenched his fists in preparation for a fight, certain that several hundred guards would come pouring out from numerous hidden entrances.

"Where am I!?" he demanded. "Where's Knite? And Zeni, and Scizor-?"

Velcia raised a hand calmly and smiled warmly at the boy.

"My son..." she whispered gently. "I'm so sorry it had to be like this."

Zak's eyes widened and he loosened his stance.

"What..." he began. "What are you talking about?"

"Zak..." the woman continued, opening her arms and inviting him closer.

"Who are you!?" Zak yelled. He was confused and angry, and lashing out seemed like the only thing he knew he could do. "Where am I? Answer me!"

"Zak, of course you don't recognise me." Velcia spoke soothingly. "I haven't seen you since you were just a baby."

There was a heavy silence which hung in the air for a moment.

"...I'm your mother, Zak."

"What!?" Zak growled, gritting his teeth, growing angrier and angrier by the second. "My mother is-"

"He told you I'd died, did he?" Velcia presumed.

Zak fell silent again.

"I can't say I blame him for that." Velcia admitted with a faint sigh. "I probably would have done the same thing in his position. Geol was always too cautious for his own good."

Zak's heavy, confused breathing filled the room as the three of them all stared each other down, not sure what to do.

"Yuki, this is your brother, Zak." Velcia finally spoke up once more, smiling at the two of them.

"I have a sister?" Zak breathed, then shook his head, glaring back at the older woman with defiance in his eyes. "No! I already have a sister! And I already have a mother! And my father wouldn't-"

"You have a step-mother." Velcia corrected the boy. "And a step-sister. And your father would; you know that. Just think: all that you've been through these past months, all the secrets you have learned about him. He doesn't love you. If he loved you, he wouldn't have taken you away from me!"

Zak's heart began to beat faster and faster, and he felt a pang of sorrow well up in his stomach. His eyes began to twitch and he held back what he knew was an impending flood of tears.

Velcia simply opened her arms up again and began to approach him.

"Come, my child." she whispered softly, a hint of warm seduction in her voice. "You've been through so much. I'm here for you now. We're together at last."

Yuki watched idly as her mother wrapped her arms around the boy who had just started to weep, though he tried his best to hide it.

"My son..." Velcia purred. "At last your destiny will be fulfilled..."

Suddenly Velcia felt a powerful thrust push her away and slam her onto the silk bed behind them. Zak's right hand was outstretched and he was breathing heavily, his eyes a bloodshot red. Immediately Yuki drew her halberd and swung it behind her, ready to strike.

"No!" Velcia ordered, holding a hand up towards her daughter. "Do not hurt him!"

"You two are the only ones who have to worry about getting hurt." Zak growled, tears still flowing down his cheeks. "Now where are my friends!?"

"Zak, please," Velcia replied calmly, getting back to her feet. "calm down. Your friends don't care about you. Your father doesn't care about you! You need to listen to me, we don't have much time! Raikou is-"

Zak lowered his guard once more, wiping his eyes.

"...Raikou?" he repeated.

"You must calm down, my son." Velcia urged.

Zak let out a loud scream before leaping across the bed and towards the outside door.

"Don't call me that!!" he cried as he went.

With exceptional precision, Yuki immediately threw her halberd towards the boy's exit, lodging the weapon into the frame of the door mere inches from Zak's face.

"Good, Yuki." Velcia congratulated her daughter. "Your husband will have to learn that he is to obey his destiny, and his queen. GUARDS!!"

Zak hurriedly ducked underneath the weapon and dashed into the main royal chambers, only to be confronted by ten uniformed guards at the main exit, each carrying one large axe.

"Chain him in the other room." Velcia commanded. "My son will listen to me; whether he likes it or not."

* * *

"No, stay away!" Whitney screamed at the top of her voice. "Please!"

"Come on, louder!" Zeni whispered. "Your life is in danger!"

"I'm doing it fine!" Whitney hissed back before resuming her yells. "Get away from me!!"

"What the Hell!?" a gruff voice cried from outside the trio's prison cell.

Frantic footsteps could be heard echoing around the outer hallway as two guards approached the door and peered inside.

"How'd they get loose!?" one asked, puzzled.

"Who cares, just stop him!" the other snapped, slamming open the door and rushing inside.

"Now!" Zeni called as soon as the guards entered into the space.

From behind the iron door Falkner grabbed the neck of the first guard and slammed his head into the stone wall, forcing him into unconsciousness. Taking advantage of this surprise, Whitney sent an impressive roundhouse kick down onto the head of the second guard, who passed out upon hitting the brickwork floor.

"Nice." Zeni commented, admiring Whitney's leg as he did so.

"Let's go!" Falkner insisted hurriedly. "We've got to find our Pokemon and get out of here. Now!"

"You guys can do what you want," Zeni answered firmly. "but I'm going to find Zak."

"You're both right," Whitney exclaimed, the adrenaline now furiously pumping through her veins. "but where will we find them?"

"We'd better start walking, I guess." Zeni suggested in his traditional, happy-go-lucky way. "Stick close and walk quiet."

With these final words of instruction the two Gym leaders followed Zeni through the labyrinth of concrete corridors and hallways.

* * *

A chill breeze swept through the forest atop the hill which overlooked the Ruins of Alph and ruffled the hair of one young man who watched the buildings from afar. His eyes narrowed and he glared down towards the former site of the hidden Team Rocket hangar, now ravaged like the ruins it lay beneath.

"So..." a soft female voice asked from behind with more than a hint of worry present. "What now?"

Knite was silent in response to Tamara's words, his face simply expressionless as he continued to watch the landscape below him.

"You ruined it all..." he growled underneath his breath, his voice slowly becoming louder and louder as his rage grew. "You ruined everything."

"I..." Tamara whimpered somewhat. "I just wanted to help... I thought... I thought Zak was going to-"

"Zak was going to die!!" Knite screamed, spitting onto the ground in disgust. "I had him. He was about to die! This could have all been finished!"

There was an awkward silence as the wind rustled the leaves of the trees which surrounded them. The night sky was a perfect blanket of dark blue, offering sparse glimpses of scattered white stars here and there. Wild Hoothoots could be heard all around and the peaceful still of the night was well and truly present.

"That accursed Scizor..." Knite hissed.

"If only it hadn't deflected my Salamence's Hyper Beam..." Tamara added to herself, staring down at the grass beneath her feet with a sad look in her eyes.

"It hated Vangard..." Knite continued, puzzled as he analysed the creature's actions in his mind. "And yet it saved him."

As Knite contemplated Scizor's reasons for defending it's hated human master, he noticed out of the corner of his eye a small group of people approaching the wreckage of the Team Rocket hangar. Each one was dressed in black and yellow martial arts style uniforms and their leader looked very familiar, with light grey hair and a matching beard.

Knite watched the group with caution, taking a few steps back towards the shadows of the trees. Tamara looked up at the boy with confusion; she knew there was something going on, though she dared not ask him what it was.

"What an interesting turn of events." Knite chuckled to himself softly. "So it's begun at last."

He turned towards Tamara and began to walk into the deep, black forest.

"Come." he ordered. "Our part in this story has not ended just yet..."


	22. Clash of Titans! Watchers vs Guardians!

Zak glared up at the ceiling, his hands bound by heavy, metal shackles on the otherwise comfortable silk bed. He had been thrown back into the sub-room of the royal chambers and the monotonous imagery of robes and silks had quickly become a source of intense annoyance.

It had been an hour since he had attempted to escape this bizarre place. He lay there, contemplating what exactly had happened after Knite had attempted to strangle him. He could remember a gruff, metallic voice calling out his name and then a blast of light before he faded away into unconsciousness.

Suddenly the click of the door handle could be heard. Zak's eyes peered towards the door, though from this angle it was difficult to see exactly who was entering. He was not kept guessing for long, however, as the figure of Velcia appeared above his body.

"My son," she whispered softly. "have you calmed down, yet?"

Zak remained silent and simply stared up at the ceiling, refusing to make eye contact with the woman.

"Zak, perhaps I should formally introduce myself." she began. "My name is Velcia, and my daughter - whom you met earlier - is Yuki."

Zak continued to stare up towards the ceiling, occasionally flexing his wrists in an attempt to test the strength of the shackles. They felt tight around his hands and moving his arms even slightly proved immensely difficult.

"My organisation and I - the Guardians of Raikou - have been here for several months now." she continued. "We've been watching Team Rocket ever since we heard news of a young man named Knite joining their ranks."

"...Knite..." Zak murmured to himself, recalling his battle with the youth.

"That's right." Velcia said, nodding as she knelt down beside the bed and watched the boy lying there idly. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you earlier, my son. But you must understand... I had to see if you were ready for this."

"Ready...?" Zak echoed, confused. "Ready for what? What is this all about?"

"Your destiny, Zak." Velcia replied. "We have been following Knite's research very closely over the past year and now the fruits of our labour are finally showing... Raikou is approaching."

"Raikou..." Zak repeated. "I don't understand..."

"Let me explain, Zak." Velcia resumed her speech. "I have been planning this moment for seventeen years. The Guardians will be chosen by the great Raikou, and you will be our representative."

"What!?" Zak growled. "How do you expect me to represent an organisation that abducted me?"

"It's complicated, Zak!" Velcia insisted, becoming rather flustered at this point. "You're my son. Only a blood relative can take the throne of the Guardians. You and your queen shall-"

"My queen?" Zak doubled up. His anger and worry now seemed to turn into a bizarre type of confusion; everything around him seemed so unreal at this moment in time.

"You will take Yuki as your queen," Velcia continued, her eyes sparkling as she stared into space. "and produce an heir of pure blood... The saviour of our world..."

"What the Hell!?" Zak yelled, fidgeting against the bed sheets in a vain attempt to escape his shackles. "You want me to marry that girl!?"

"She's your half-sister." Velcia sighed. "Alas, Geol refused to accept the destiny of our family, but it changes nothing. She will become your queen, and only then will Raikou accept you as the true successor..."

"And what if I refuse?" Zak questioned, genuinely interested in her response.

Velcia flashed the boy a glare before answering:

"You won't."

With that final statement the woman got to her feet and exited the room, closing the door firmly behind her.

* * *

The trio of trainers - Falkner, Whitney and Zeni - crept through the ancient tunnels and passageways that connected this strange, underground complex. The air felt heavy and was filled with dust; something Zeni found extremely irritating as he attempted his best stealth impression.

"Now if I were an evil, kidnapping team leader," Zeni whispered to himself as they passed several lit torches. "where would I put my prisoner's Pokeballs?"

"There must be a central cargo hold somewhere nearby." Falkner suggested, a little too loudly for Zeni's liking. "We should try getting to the centre of the complex."

"Shhh!!" Zeni hissed, turning sharply. "We're supposed to be-"

"Hey, you!!" a loud voice yelled through the corridor. "How did you escape!?"

Falkner, Whitney and Zeni all froze as they saw a guard armed with a huge, iron axe approaching them from further down the hallway.

"RUN AWAY!!" Zeni shouted at the top of his lungs as he and his two companions bolted down a corridor to the right as fast as they could.

"Hey, come back here!" the guard cried, rushing after them with his axe ready.

After what seemed like hours of exhausted running - with the guard showing no signs of slowing down - the trio arrived in a large, square room. On the walls were nailed old, wooden shelves and all around were wooden makeshift tables, many of which were occupied by what appeared to be guards - some male, some female - enjoying their lunch breaks.

Startled, the occupants of the room got to their feet and prepared themselves. The three trainers nervously backed against each other as the guard who had been chasing them arrived, panting heavily as he entered the room behind them.

"They've escaped!" the man gasped, straining to lift his axe, though trying hard not to make a show of himself. "Get them!"

The guards situated throughout the room immediately drew their weapons and glared menacingly at the three trainers in the doorway.

"Oh, crap..." Zeni sighed.

* * *

Zak continued to lie there, staring up at the ceiling with idle boredom in his eyes.

He sighed as his mind strayed and he considered what he had been through over the course of these past twenty-four hours. He'd defeated Axel, Tanner and Rackus within the space of a day, fought Knite to within an inch of his life, and was now a prisoner to a megalomaniacal woman who intended him to marry his half-sister.

As he lay there, contemplating these events, he began to ask himself - was any of this real? Maybe he'd wake up in a few minutes and realise this had all just been a really strange dream. His father wasn't a part of some strange cult, and his step-mother was cooking Saturday morning breakfast, waiting for him to finally rise. Zak always tended to oversleep.

A gentle knock on the door snapped Zak away from his thoughts. He watched the door cautiously, then simply looked away as he saw Yuki step inside, shutting the door gently behind her.

"You knock for your prisoners now?" he asked, the sarcasm obvious from his tone of voice.

"I apologise for my mother," Yuki replied simply, stepping towards the bed and sitting down on a small, wooden stool opposite where the boy lay. "she can be a little... Overwhelming at times."

Yuki stared at the floor as she spoke; either she was not willing to look at Zak, or she was simply too shy.

"You've got that right." Zak groaned, staring back up at the ceiling.

There was an uncomfortable silence that filled the air of the small, cosy room. Yuki shifted her feet somewhat nervously to fill the space in her mind.

"So..." Zak began hesitantly. "You're Yuki, right?"

Yuki nodded, looking over at him with a curious expression. What was he trying to get at?

"So how do you feel?" he continued, not really sure what he was asking, though he wanted to make conversation. "About this whole thing, I mean."

Zak stared at the girl as he awaited her response. She played with her long, flowing blonde hair as she contemplated her answer. As he watched her, nervously fidgeting in her seat, he began to realise that she felt as awkward about the situation as he did.

"Um..." she murmured; quietly at first, though growing louder as she gained more confidence with the sentence. "Well, I've kind of been waiting all my life for this... Mother's been tracking Raikou since before I can even remember. And I never knew my father. I've just always trained to be the best queen I can be, so..."

There was another awkward silence, before she added:

"This is all I've ever known."

"What makes our mo-" Zak paused, then restated his question. "What makes your mother think Raikou is going to appear now?"

"That boy..." Yuki replied. "The one you fought - Knite. He was using Team Rocket's resources to figure out the locations and patterns of the legendary Pokemon of Johto."

"But..." Zak stammered. "The legendary Pokemon are just myths... Fairy-tales written for children's overactive imaginations."

"Do you honestly believe that?" Yuki asked, her tone of voice now very serious.

"Do you?" Zak echoed.

Yuki sniffed in defiance at this.

"Open your eyes, Zak." she retorted. "Team Rocket believed it; Knite believed it; mother believes it."

Another pause punctuated her speech.

"And so did your father."

Suddenly from outside the royal chambers a loud commotion could be heard. Heavy footsteps and shouting echoed throughout the complex's passageways and both Zak and Yuki turned towards the door to get a greater idea of what the disturbance was.

The door to the small room swung open and a red-headed man appeared, two long swords strapped to his back.

"Mistress Yuki," the man spoke, his voice emotionless. "you must leave at once. Intruders have infiltrated the facility and our operation is in danger. I have been asked to escort you."

"Jeru!" Yuki said, getting to her feet and looking the man straight in the eyes. "What are you talking about? Who are these intruders?"

Jeru approached Zak and, with an incredible show of strength, pulled off the chains which bound Zak to the wall. He looked up at Yuki through the corner of his eye and answered simply:

"The Watchers of Raikou."

* * *

"Any more bright ideas, Zeni?" Falkner growled, his eyes darting across the room as he attempted to evaluate the situation in his mind.

"I dunno, I'm kinda hungry..." Zeni mumbled back.

As the group of guards began to close in on the three trainers heavy footsteps could be heard running through the opposite corridor.

"We're under attack!" the female guard who just arrived cried out in a panic to the rest of the room. "The mistress has gone to the central dome and has ordered all Guardians to follow her there!"

"Under attack?" different voices could be heard throughout the room as the group questioned this news. "By who?

"We have to get going," the female guard continued, urgency obvious in her voice. "we don't have much time!"

"But what about the prisoners?" the guard standing behind Falkner, Whitney and Zeni asked.

"Never mind them!" another guard spoke up. "We've got to hurry if we want to finish the operation!"

The room was soon filled with loud murmurs and agreements as the assembled guards began to flood through the opposite corridor, heading towards the central dome and leaving the three trainers standing alone and feeling very confused.

"Well..." Whitney mumbled. "That was easy..."

"Come on." Falkner hurried his two companions. "It looks like their armoury is in here; maybe that's where our Pokeballs are."

Sure enough, Falkner was right. After taking a few minutes to search through the gigantic mound of Pokeballs stored in the complex's armoury the trio were reunited with their Pokemon.

Zeni immediately released the ball which contained Slowpoke and hitched the Pokemon up onto his shoulder gently.

"Hey, buddy," he greeted the creature happily, winking as he did so. "did ya miss me?"

"Most of these seem to be Team Rocket's Pokemon." Whitney noted, sifting through the rest of the pile in front of her. "Hey, have either of you seen Zak's?"

"We'll be here all night if we go through them all." Falkner groaned.

"Yeah, but wait a minute..." Zeni thought out loud, prompting his two partners to turn and take notice. "When we passed all those prison cells earlier we never saw Zak. Just loads of Team Rocket grunts."

"You're saying he's been taken somewhere else?" Whitney hazarded a guess.

"I guess it would make sense," Falkner agreed, taking the Pokeball of his creature Dodrio in one hand. "after all, Team Rocket wanted him for some reason, it's not unthinkable that these freaks are interested in him, too."

"Question is..." Whitney mumbled, thinking hard as her eyes scanned the tiled floor beneath her feet. "Where would they be keeping him?"

Zeni slapped his palms together and grinned.

"Well, isn't it obvious?" he suggested. "If Zak's so important to them, they're going to take him with them wherever they go!"

"The central dome..." Falkner finished Zeni's sentence, then stared down the opposite corridor where the guards had exited.

"There's no time to lose!" Whitney commanded, leading the way through the dank, torch-lit corridors. "Come on, let's get going."

* * *

Zak watched the man known as Jeru cautiously as he began to tie the chains of Zak's shackles around his arms, forming makeshift handcuffs.

He was clearly in his mid-twenties, but his expression was constantly nonexistent. This intrigued Zak, though he didn't say anything.

"We must hurry." Jeru insisted, finishing off his tying of Zak's handcuffs.

"What about my Pokemon?" Zak asked, his mind suddenly recalling Scizor and the fact that his Pokeballs were missing from his belt.

"I have them." Yuki replied calmly as she stepped out of the doorway. She turned to Jeru, before adding: "Lead the way."

The corridors were eerily vacant, and only the sound of their echoing footsteps and the crackling of the torches which hung from the wall could be heard as the three of them pressed deeper into the shadowy, labyrinth-like complex.

Jeru was leading the way, with Yuki positioned behind Zak, watching the prisoner carefully as they went.

"Where are we going?" Zak asked, expecting to be ignored, or at least intimidated in some way.

"The central dome." Jeru answered back curtly.

"Is my mother there?" Yuki spoke up.

"Yes." Jeru confirmed.

Zak simply stared ahead into space as the three of them moved closer and closer to their destination.

'The Watchers of Raikou...' he thought to himself. 'But Mr. Lunata said that they'd been disbanded months ago...'

Zak felt a shiver run down his spine.

'Dad, are you... Are you here?'

* * *

"We've been walking around this place for ages..." Zeni groaned as he, Falkner and Whitney turned yet another corner.

The entire complex seemed to be one gigantic maze - each hallway resembled another, and the only thing which decorated the walls was one never-ending line of ancient black and white hieroglyphs which stretched throughout the entire labyrinth. The characters themselves depicted natural, organic shapes and large, circular points of interest which punctuated the rest of the symbol.

As the three of them were walking, Falkner admired the images on the wall, recognising them from somewhere.

"We're underneath the Ruins of Alph..." he finally spoke up, mostly to himself.

Both Zeni and Whitney both stopped in their tracks and turned to face the Violet City Gym leader.

"How can you tell?" Whitney questioned.

"You see these markings?" Falkner pointed to the hieroglyphs as he spoke. "These are the exact same markings as those found in the Ruins of Alph."

"Can you read what they say?" Zeni wondered aloud.

"Don't be dense!" Falkner snapped. "It's an extremely ancient language, not even the world's top scientists understand it yet."

"So what's your point?" Zeni sighed, exhausted from their constant walking.

"My point," Falkner began. "is that the central dome must be a big focal point of the ruins. And that means we're sitting underneath hundreds of tourists. Someone's going to notice something."

Zeni and Whitney contemplated the boy's words for a moment, until they heard echoing footsteps approaching them yet again.

"More guards?" Whitney whispered as the three of them crouched down low to the floor.

"There's nowhere to hide in these narrow passageways." Zeni added nervously.

"You there!" the deep, booming voice of a cloaked male figure called out to them from afar. "Are you hurt?"

"...Huh?" the three trainers answered back in unison, puzzled expressions taking over their faces.

The cloaked figure, followed by two others, approached and exited the shadows. They were all men in their late thirties, and they wore darkened yellow and midnight blue robes similar to the guards from before. Their intentions, however, seemed different somehow...

Zeni could hear hushed whispers from further down the corridor and attempted to peer over the burly shoulders of the men in front of him.

The three strangers quickly parted and made way for an older man, himself dressed in similar robes, though his were coloured predominantly green with strips of orange decorating the sides. His light grey hair was cut long and straight, hanging in a ponytail along with a short, matching beard, and his brown eyes focused on them as he held a stern expression on his face.

"What are you children doing here?" the man asked softly. "It's dangerous."

"Sir," Whitney spoke up bravely, her heart pounding with nerves as she stood toe-to-toe with the stranger. "we're looking for our friend. We know he's in this place somewhere and he's in trouble."

There was an uneasy silence as the torches on the wall flickered in time with their breathing.

"We have to help him." she added.

"Hm." the man replied. "Are you, by any chance, talking about Zak?"

Falkner, Whitney and Zeni's eyes all widened as the man spoke his name.

"Do you know where we can find him?" Whitney pressed the issue, excitement beginning to replace her nerves.

"I hope so," the man chuckled softly. "because I'm looking for him, too."

"Wait, wait, wait." Zeni interrupted, stepping between him and Whitney. "Just who are you, anyway?"

The man smiled at Zeni warmly.

"I'm his father;" he responded. "I'm Geol Vangard."

* * *

Eventually Zak was lead out of the narrow, cramped passageways and into the wide, open space of the central dome.

The room itself was breathtaking - the walls were reinforced with a pale blue metal, every inch of which was engraved with the same hieroglyphs which covered the rest of the complex's walls. The ceiling extended up in a spherical direction fifty feet in the air and in the centre of the dome were painted three familiar silhouettes which Zak immediately recognised.

"The legendary beasts..." he whispered beneath his breath as he gawked up at the ceiling.

Yuki looked at the boy with a smile on her face as he said this.

"Raikou, Entei and Suicune." she explained, though she knew she didn't need to elaborate for him.

As they approached the centre of the room Zak's attention was moved towards the large crowd of people - all dressed in similar robe-like uniforms - who surrounded one large, silver throne which stretched nine feet up into the air like a thin, spiral-shaped cocoon. And there, standing on the throne, was Velcia.

She appeared to be in mid-speech, and she wavered slightly as she saw Zak, a smile crossing her lips.

"And now, my children:" she announced. "as you are all my children, despite the ties of age or blood which tell you otherwise; we have come to the final chapter of our operation!"

The crowd cheered as her speech continued to grow in enormity and scope.

"Remove the chains which bind my son, Jeru!" Velcia ordered.

Jeru nodded simply, then with one swift swing of one of his swords the chains which bound Zak's hands were cut and his shackles fell to the floor.

"Now rise, my children:" Velcia continued, opening her arms widely. "Zak and Yuki... Approach the altar and realise your destiny, so that we may summon Raikou!"

Just as Yuki began to approach the throne where her mother was standing - the crowds of people parting as she came closer - a loud, familiar voice called out to them.

"Stop!"

Zak and the rest of the room turned to see a large group of people lead by four familiar faces: Falkner, Whitney, Zeni and...

"Dad!?" Zak cried, shocked to finally see his father once again, though he wasn't dressed as he remembered him.

"Zak!" Whitney called out, pleased to finally see the boy again and relieved to see him alive and well.

Geol stood at the front of the group and opened his palm out, pointing it straight towards the throne where Velcia stood.

"You mustn't continue, Velcia!" he commanded, his voice showing a stern determination. "The legendary beasts cannot be tamed by selfish desires!"

"You insult me, Geol!" Velcia laughed back in response, a smile appearing on her face. "But you should realise that my desires have nothing to do with this. I simply want what is best for all my children: Zak, Yuki, the Guardians... The entire world!"

"Don't flatter yourself!" Geol barked back angrily. "This isn't about them - this selfish quest for power has driven you mad!"

"If that is your belief, Geol..." Velcia chuckled casually. "Then I'm afraid we shall never see eye-to-eye."

The woman removed a Pokeball from underneath her shoulder dressing and enlarged it, focusing it menacingly towards the intruders.

"Let us end this feud right here, right now, Geol." she suggested.

Geol took his own Pokeball and prompted the rest of his team to do the same.

"Then so be it." he agreed. "Let this be our final battle - the Guardians of Raikou versus the Watchers of Raikou. Let us see who shall be victorious."

Velcia turned back to face Zak as the large crowd of Guardians withdrew their Pokeballs and brandished their weapons in preparation for the upcoming fight. She smiled warmly at him before speaking.

"Zak, your destiny faces a crossroads," she said. "and I pray you don't choose death."


	23. When Myth Becomes Reality

There was an uncomfortable silence which filled the air of the vast central dome. To Zak it felt suffocating and claustrophobic as he stood there, watching the group of Watchers, lead by his father and his friends, face off against the far greater numbers of the Guardians and the woman who claimed to be his mother. The entire moment felt so incredibly surreal.

"Typhlosion!" Zak's father, Geol, cried as he threw down the Pokeball in his hands. "Lend me your strength!"

The glitter of the Pokeball illuminated the room, revealing a large creature standing on it's hind legs, intense flames bursting out from it's back. The creature snarled, it's black, glossy fur glowing in the light of the portable inferno.

Zak took a step back as he watched the impressive creature in all of it's glory. He had no idea his father had such powerful Pokemon at his disposal.

Falkner and Whitney quickly followed Geol's example, unleashing Dodrio and Miltank respectively as Zeni ordered Slowpoke to join the front lines as well.

"This is your final warning, Geol." Velcia hissed, the Pokeball in her hands reflecting the waves of Typhlosion's fire in it's red, plastic casing. "Do not interfere or you will die; either by my doing or Raikou's."

"I cannot allow you to continue this megalomania, Velcia." Geol replied firmly, standing his ground. "If that means I must die to protect the legendary beasts then so be it."

"Fine." Velcia snapped. "Jeru, Yuki - bring Zak to me."

She turned back to face Geol before throwing down the Pokeball in her hands directly opposite Typhlosion.

"Alakazam!" she yelled. "Show yourself!!"

With a fantastic burst of light Velcia's Pokeball split open and fell to the ground, unleashing the large, humanoid silhouette of Alakazam.

The Pokemon itself stood around five feet tall, with very short, yellow fur and a long, matching moustache which drooped down to it's chest. In both of it's hands the creature held two large spoons which seemed to twist in a strange, rhythmic pattern.

Now that Velcia's primary Pokemon had been revealed the rest of the Guardians unleashed their own Pokemon, with the exceptions of Jeru and Yuki. The Guardians' Pokemon mostly consisted of the Ground-type: Donphan, Sandslash and Rhydon being the most common, whilst the comparatively few Watchers tended to favour Fire-types: Arcanine and Houndoom being particularly popular.

Suddenly Zak felt the firm grip of Jeru's hand wrap around his wrist and usher him towards the throne where Velcia stood. Zak tried to resist at first, but judging by Jeru's incredible display of strength earlier, he assumed it would be futile.

"Yuki, my beloved daughter." Velcia began as the three of them approached the throne.

Now that he was closer Zak could see at the foot of the throne a large, metallic-grey machine shaped like a box standing before Velcia. It had a smooth, polished surface and on the front was a glass-covered gauge which went from a faded, dark purple into a lighter shade, whilst on the top were two slots which appeared to descend down about four feet deep into the machine itself, which stood at about six feet. Currently it seemed as if the machine itself was switched off.

"Zak, my son..." she continued, turning to face the boy, who nervously peered back towards where his father and friends were, currently battling with an overwhelming tide of enemy Pokemon.

"The time has come." she spoke simply, handing a large broad sword from her throne and passing it to Yuki.

Zak admired the sword for a moment. The blade was tinted a golden colour and the hilt was carved out of a pale-blue silver, making the weapon appear very exotic. Yuki accepted the item graciously, looking it over with wonder in her eyes.

"Jeru," Velcia spoke again, turning to face Zak. "release the binds on my son."

Jeru swung his sword cleanly against the shackles which bound Zak's wrists with unerring precision without a moment's hesitation. With a loud clang the metal shackles fell to the stone ground and Zak was free once again, only to be presented with the sheathed form of his father's sword.

"And now my children..." Velcia whispered softly as the sounds of battle raged all around the central dome. "Place the swords of Raikou into their rightful place and summon your destiny!"

There was a strange silence around the group of four people even as the battle raged all around them. Zak felt a strange, uncomfortable feeling in his chest as he agonised over the decision that lay before him. These people hadn't mistreated him, and they made some persuasive arguments... Yet his father, whom he had trusted since birth, had lied to his whole family...

Zak closed his eyes tightly as he contemplated the events of his life ever since he had left his small island village. He had learnt so much, and made so many new friends... He had changed more than he ever would have imagined before. But now was the moment which really meant anything. Would he choose the family of his past, or the family of his future...?

"Zak!" Whitney cried across the room. Zak opened his eyes, the sights and sounds of the central dome slowly returning to him, following her voice. He turned, seeing the determined looks on the faces of his friends... And his father.

"Zak," Velcia whispered gently. "your destiny is waiting... My son."

Suddenly Zak removed the sheath from his father's sword, taking the hilt in both hands and slashing down towards the machine which stood before him.

"This ends now!" he yelled as he swung the blade down towards the open metal.

The sound of steel clashing against steel resonated from the throne. Zak looked up, seeing Jeru blocking his strike against the machine at the foot of the throne and glaring down at him with a menacing look in his eyes.

Velcia simply sighed as she watched the two of them before turning to Yuki.

"Yuki," she ordered. "it's time for plan B."

Yuki nodded, then removed a Pokeball from her robe, snapping it open with her fingers. A small burst of white light temporarily blinded Zak, and by the time it had dispersed there hovered a familiar-looking figure before him.

Haunter, a Ghost-type Pokemon that Zak had previously faced months ago back at Morty's Gym in Ecruteak, floated eerily in mid-air, it's black, ethereal pupils sending a chill down the boy's spine.

"Haunter, Hypnosis." Yuki commanded.

Haunter began to wave it's spectral hands back and forth in front of Zak, who immediately felt the pull of bizarre energy waves sending his mind into deep unconsciousness.

"Now Zak," Velcia suggested, a large, confident smile taking over her face as she watched the boy's pupils begin to dilate, the colour fading from his irises as he was caught under the spell of Yuki's Pokemon. "take the sword and place it in the pedestal."

The woman nodded towards Yuki as she said this, and Yuki returned Haunter to the Pokeball before both siblings stepped up to the pedestal, their weapons ready.

"Zak!!" Geol called across the clatter of steel and the sounds of Pokemon battles which filled the central dome. "No!!"

Falkner, Whitney, Zeni and Geol all watched on in horror as both Zak and Yuki stared down at the machine in front of them. Both seemed to hesitate for a moment, then slowly plunged the blades of their swords into the pedestal, generating a loud click and forcing the machine to glow a pure, bright white.

"No..." Geol muttered, his expression fixed in a look of horror as he continued to stare towards the throne. "No..."

"What is that thing?" Whitney asked, approaching the man whilst still trying to keep her eyes on Miltank as it battled valiantly against the Guardians' own Pokemon.

"It could well be the destruction of Johto as we know it, Whitney." Geol replied solemnly. "The legendary beasts are the protectors of nature and must work together in order to maintain the natural balance of this land. The purpose of the Watchers was to ensure that Raikou was kept out of human reach... But we have failed..."

"Dammit!" Falkner cursed loudly as he commanded Dodrio to perform a Drill Peck on an approaching Sandslash. "We can't let these freaks get away with this!"

"There's gotta be something we can do!" Zeni insisted.

"There's only one thing we can do." Geol agreed, pointing towards the throne. "We must destroy that machine before Raikou arrives!"

Velcia stretched out her arms towards the ceiling of the central dome as the machine at her feet began to glow brighter and brighter. Yuki watched, though made sure to shield her eyes when a gigantic fork of lightning was suddenly sent from the machine and up towards the ceiling of the room, striking the central portrait of the three legendary beasts.

"It has finally begun!" Velcia laughed, her eyes wide as she watched the spectacle unfold in front of her.

The battle waging across the huge room began to fade as members from both factions stopped and stared up at the incredible light show. The single fork of lightning had now split into several different branches of electricity, each one striking different parts of the ceiling randomly. After several moments of the machine building in strength, the electricity's power was increased, smashing through the portrait in the centre of the ceiling and sending huge boulders of rubble tumbling down towards the ground.

Velcia simply continued to stare up at the ceiling as all around her Guardians and Watchers alike attempted to evade the falling debris. Grey, early morning skies could be seen through the large opening that was now present in the central dome, lightning continuing to pour out of the machine and into the heavens above.

"This is insane!" Falkner yelled above the panicked commotion in the room; some Guardians were now attempting to flee the ruins, withdrawing their Pokemon from the battlefield, though most held their ground and continued to fight with the meagre forces of the Watchers. "That crazy bitch is gonna bring the whole complex down on us!"

Against the constant roar of the machine's lightning generation, Yuki could hear a deep voice laughing from behind them.

The girl turned in time with Jeru and stared over towards the source of the strange voice. From the shadows stepped a familiar figure whose torso was covered by a metallic armour and who held a customised lance in his right hand.

"Very impressive, Velcia." Knite applauded, well aware that his presence had caused the fighting all around him to cease. "I must admit, I wasn't expecting you to interfere with my plans."

From behind Knite a second figure appeared, whom Zeni recognised as being the girl, Tamara, from the Team Rocket base before.

"Knite." Velcia answered back, her face taking on a stern expression as she eyed the boy up and down. "Team Rocket's operations have finished in this area. There's no need for a simple puppet such as yourself to stay around here any longer."

Knite smiled at this, obviously amused. Tamara was shocked, as this was the first time she had seen him smile for months.

"You really have no idea, do you?" Knite chuckled as he continued, his usual, arrogant stance more than obvious to all in the room. "I expected better from someone who tricked me into doing all the legwork so that they could summon Raikou themselves."

"Destiny is a powerful force, Knite." Velcia replied smugly.

"Indeed it is..." Knite agreed, stepping ever so slightly closer to the throne in the centre of the room and keeping a watchful eye on his entire surroundings. "But not as powerful as me."

Velcia laughed loudly at this.

"I never considered you as the delusional type, boy." she mocked. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a legendary beast to tame."

Knite pointed his lance directly towards Velcia, though he was still several yards away from her. His eyes glittered menacingly in the light of the electricity which was now pouring up like a high-powered fountain in the centre of the dome.

"It was all so easy for you, wasn't it?" he hissed, his voice becoming edgier as he spoke now. "You let me do the research on the legendary beasts and help to organise Team Rocket's research. Those swords really were made from the power of pure lightning, weren't they?"

"What's your point, Knite?" Velcia snapped, becoming rather tired of this conversation.

"What happened to the other four swords?" Knite continued, his voice showing genuine intrigue with just a hint of mockery. "The swords of Entei and Suicune? Do you have those as well?"

"Our destiny calls us merely to Raikou." Velcia retorted. "I have no need of those other, lesser beasts. Was this what you came to bargain for?"

"Something like that." Knite admitted.

Before Knite could finish speaking a tremendous clap of thunder could be heard from outside. The sound almost resembled a roar and rippled throughout the central dome and down into the shadowy corridors that were connected to it. Before anyone could realise what was happening a bolt of powerful electricity seemed to rush down from the hole in the ceiling and slowly faded, along with the lightning from the machine just in front of the throne where Velcia stood.

Yuki gasped and took a step away from the pedestal as she was confronted by the light, which faded slowly into the silhouette of a large beast, standing over six feet tall on all fours with an impressive, yellow fur coat. Electricity seemed to flow throughout the creature's body and the crackle of gentle thunder emanated all around.

"...Raikou..." Whitney breathed, stunned at what she saw. Here was a real life legendary Pokemon, the kind researchers had been attempting to disprove for decades, standing right in front of her. All around similar expressions were shared by her companions as they all watched the creature in awe.

"Raikou!" Velcia greeted the creature, her voice noticably shaky.

"Impressive..." Knite commented under his breath. He appeared to be the only one in the room who's expression portrayed slight interest rather than pure awe. "So doctor Nanba's machine actually works."

The large, powerful creature turned to face Velcia, it's eyes scanning the woman up and down carefully, yet it made no sound whilst doing so.

"Raikou!" Velcia tried to continue, despite her intense nerves. "You have been summoned by the two true heirs to the power of lightning - those who possess the swords of Raikou! I ask that you accept these two and grant them your infinite power so that they may rule this world and build a new order for the good of all humans and Pokemon!"

"That won't be necessary." Knite interrupted, his expression once again stern and unapproachable.

"Do not interfere, boy!" Velcia growled as Raikou now turned to face the young man.

"Your plan was a well thought out one, I'll admit that much," Knite explained. "but I still have need of Raikou and I cannot allow you to keep it all to yourself."

It was only now that Velcia noticed the small, black and yellow orb which Knite held tightly in his left hand. It was coloured predominantly black, though had several curving yellow lines which decorated it in various places and a large yellow 'R' that was embossed on the central front. On it's sides were two small flaps which resembled miniature plastic wings and protruded about an inch from the sphere itself.

Velcia immediately knew that it was a type of Pokeball.

"No..." Velcia gasped. "Jeru!! STOP HIM!!"

Jeru immediately drew his two swords from their sheaths and approached the boy, who simply smiled and motioned towards Tamara with his head.

"Tamara," he said. "please kill everyone in this room."

The girl said nothing, instead she simply threw down the Pokeball in her hand and summoned the huge, spectacular image of a pale-blue, lizard-like Pokemon with large, red leathery wings known as Salamence. The creature snorted deeply and stared down at Jeru as he approached.

"Raikou," Knite announced, pointing the Pokeball in his hands towards the legendary Pokemon. "this is a customised Pokeball developed by Team Rocket's best scientists."

Raikou simply stared at the boy, it's eyes scanning him in silence as he continued to talk.

"Believe me when I say that it's powerful enough to capture you and every other legendary Pokemon on this planet." Knite continued. "Allow me to prove it to you..."

The entire room watched with bated breath as Knite began to wind up his arm in preparation to throw the ball at the legendary Pokemon which stood mere feet before him.

"Jeru!" Velcia called once again.

Jeru's eyes narrowed as he fixed his glare on Knite and leapt towards the boy, swords at the ready. The wind whistled through his hair as he aimed squarely for Knite's wrist, hoping to remove the Pokeball from his grasp in any way he possibly could.

Knite simply smiled as he began to throw the strange Pokeball towards Raikou and listened to the sound of Jeru's body being struck by the powerful jaws of Tamara's Salamence.

Jeru gasped for breath as he felt the dragon's huge teeth grip him tightly like a vice and slowly apply pressure. The rest of the room, Guardians and Watchers alike, watched in horror as the beast's jaws slowly ground shut around the man's body, and they listened with disgust at the loud sound of slowly breaking bones which seemed to fill the room.

"Salamence," Tamara commanded. "throw him against the wall. We have no time to waste."

The Dragon-type Pokemon snorted in agreement, then swung it's gigantic neck towards the other side of the room, sending the barely-breathing Jeru crashing into the rubble of the fallen ceiling.

Meanwhile Knite had already thrown the Pokeball towards Raikou, which immediately responded with a powerful blast of electrical energy towards the projectile.

This attack, however, proved useless.

"It's no good, Raikou!" Knite cackled gleefully. "That Pokeball has been designed just for you! The more you hit it with electrical energy the more powerful it becomes!"

Raikou, however, refused to listen to Knite's words, instead simply continuing to pour enormous amounts of lightning into the ball as it continued it's descent towards the beast.

As Yuki watched the scene take place, her instincts forced her to react. Quickly she reached for her customised halberd and leapt from the pedestal, aiming directly for the ball itself, only to feel the harsh impact of Knite's boot in her gut.

"Do not interfere, little girl." Knite hissed as he watched her body skid across the floor and slam into the opposite wall.

Eventually the Pokeball arrived at it's destination. Mere inches away from Raikou's body, the creature attempted to flee the projectile, only to find that it followed the beast wherever it went.

"Nice try, Raikou!" Knite laughed maniacally. "That energy you blasted the ball with made it magnetically attracted to the largest source of electrical energy in this room!"

A look of terror struck Raikou's face as it turned around and once again attempted to blast the ball with energy.

The lightning barely left Raikou before the ball collided into the creature's fur, splitting in two and covering the beast with a faded, red glow. Raikou struggled against the light, but proved to be no match, eventually fading away inside the sphere and losing the will to fight against it's new mechanical cage.

As soon as the ball fell to the floor Knite dashed over to retrieve it, scooping it up into his hands before sprinting back to the safety of Tamara and her Salamence.

"And that's you..." he chuckled as he stared at the ball in his hands, still warm from the energy of Raikou's powerful electric attacks.

A large, vacuous silence overcame the room as everyone stared in amazement at what they had just seen. Raikou, a legendary Pokemon, had just been convincingly caught by this young man, who appeared to hardly even break a sweat whilst doing so.

"Guardians!" Velcia bellowed, pointing straight towards Knite. "Ignore the Watchers! Get that Pokeball!!"

"Hmph." Knite muttered in response, beginning to walk down the darkened hallway from whence he came. "Tamara, make sure nobody leaves this place."

"Yes, sir." Tamara answered, her face serious as she stared down at the oncoming tide of Guardians that approached her. "Salamence."

The dragon looked down towards the girl, awaiting it's instructions.

"You know what to do." Tamara continued, pointing towards the ceiling of the central dome. "HYPER BEAM!!"

"We have to stop them!" Geol yelled above the shouts and cries of the Guardians as they charged towards Tamara and her Salamence.

"You will not get away with this outrage!" Velcia shrieked, pointing towards Tamara. "Kill her! Show her the power of the Guardians of Raikou!!"

Salamence aimed straight up towards the ceiling of the central dome, a dark, orange glow appearing from deep inside it's throat blasted out in a stream of pure energy and collided with the ceiling, sending the building's vulnerable brickwork crumbling down in gigantic pieces of rubble and debris.

"Keep it up, Salamence!" Tamara commanded, pointing straight up towards the ceiling.

It was at this point in time that a vast majority of Guardians and Watchers both began to flee the building, as it became obvious that the girl had no regard for her own life and had taken Knite's orders quite literally.

"Knite..." Tamara whispered to herself, her eyes closed as she contemplated her final moments. "If this is the end for me, at least I can die knowing I served you faithfully..."

The screams and sounds of falling rocks surrounded the girl as she kept her eyes closed and simply focused on the darkness. Everything was slowly beginning to get quieter as she blocked out everything but her thoughts.

'I know it could have never worked out...' her thoughts continued. 'But at least I could help you fulfill your destiny... Knite...'

Yuki slowly got to her feet and stared over towards the throne where her mother stood. Her heart was pounding as she knew that at any moment she could be crushed by the falling debris. The Salamence at the far hallway continued to fire it's Hyper Beam attack wildly around the room, causing more danger and debris as the Guardians descended upon the creature, hoping to stop it's destructive rampage in some way.

It was only then that she noticed Zak standing by the throne, the colour of his eyes still faded as the effects of the Hypnosis from her Haunter continued to work even now. She knew that he was unaware of the danger, and she also knew that she had to help him.

Though her body still ached from the immense pain of Knite's attack, Yuki nimbly darted towards the throne where her brother stood, skillfully evading falling rubble as she remembered her mother's training.

"Zak, wake up!" she cried as she climbed up onto the pedestal and shook the boy firmly on the shoulders.

"Uh..." Zak mumbled, slowly coming back to consciousness. The noise and commotion of the room appeared to startle him at first. "Where am I...?"

"Mother, we have to get out of here!" Yuki exclaimed, turning back to face Velcia and ignoring Zak's question. "This place is going to be buried in a few minutes!"

"What have I taught you, Yuki!?" Velcia snapped, gripping her daughters shoudlers. "The Guardians of Raikou never run away. We have a destiny to fulfill, and we WILL fulfill it!"

"It's too late!" Geol called back to Falkner, Whitney and Zeni. "We'll have to retreat!"

"But Zak is still-!" Zeni protested.

"Zak can look after himself!" Geol interrupted, recalling his Typhlosion into the Pokeball in his hand. "I know him! Just move!"

Reluctantly the three trainers followed after Geol through the hallway from where they had originally entered the central dome. As they were running, Whitney turned to look at Zak one more time.

"Zak!!" she shouted at the top of her lungs, causing him to look up and notice her. "Come on, we've got to get out of here!"

"Whitney..." Zak stammered, then nodded, pulling his father's sword out from the machine beside him. He then jumped down from the pedestal and began to dash towards the exit.

"No!" Velcia called after the boy. "Zak, your destiny lies with me!"

The woman turned towards her Alakazam, which was currently attempting to deflect any falling debris away from the throne where it's mistress stood.

"Alakazam!" she commanded. "Stop my son! He must not escape me a second time!"

"Kazam." the Pokemon obeyed, turning around and focusing it's energy towards the boy, lifting him up several feet from the ground and enclosing him in a tight, light-blue bubble of pure psychic energy.

"Zak!!" Whitney called out again, rushing back towards the central dome, only to feel the tight grip of Falkner's hand on her wrist.

"We can't help him!" he explained, his voice sounding drained.

"Mother, this is suicide!" Yuki protested angrily, only to feel the cold sting of her mother's hand as Velcia slapped her daughter across the face.

"Do not raise your voice to me, Yuki!" Velcia growled. "Do not question my authority."

Yuki stared back at her mother, her eyes wide as she felt tears begin to well up inside of her.

"...Mother...!" she breathed weakly.

Velcia simply glared down towards the girl, her anger as intense as ever.

Yuki sniffled as she stared at the floor beneath her. She felt a strange mixture of emotions welling up inside her - anger, sadness, rejection. But most of all she felt determined.

"You may want to die here, mother," Yuki spoke up, staring Velcia squarely in the eyes. "but I don't!"

With that outburst, Yuki grabbed the remaining sword from the machine which sat on the pedestal and charged towards Zak.

"Yuki, stop this instant!" Velcia screamed. "I order you to stop right now!"

Yuki simply ignored the calls of her mother as she sprinted towards the boy, determined not to let him perish here along with Velcia's deluded plans.

Suddenly, as the Guardians continued to descend upon Tamara and her Salamence, a burst of white light appeared from the shadows behind the girl. Tamara turned to face this new encounter, and was shocked to see the figure of Knite riding atop his Charizard, the orange dragon snarling at any Guardians foolish enough to get close to it.

"Recall your Salamence, Tamara." Knite commanded.

"But Knite, I haven't-" Tamara began.

"There's no need to die here." Knite interrupted flatly, then reached out his hand.

Not needing another second to think her decision through, Tamara quickly leapt towards the boy and grabbed his hand, fumbling in her pocket for the empty Pokeball of her Salamence and recalling the creature as she hung onto Charizard's side.

Zak, Velcia and the Guardians all stared up at the dragon as it swooped above and out into the open sky, hovering there for a moment.

"Knite!!" Velcia shrieked, taking another Pokeball from her belt and preparing to throw it up into the sky.

"I have no need for you anymore, Velcia." Knite called back, laughing. "It seems that you were the one who did all the legwork for me in the end!"

Knite watched the Pokeball approach him slowly before announcing his orders to Charizard.

"Charizard," he said simply, watching over the landscape of the Ruins of Alph which stretched out below him. "use Dragon Rage."

The dragon snarled, then blasted a gigantic, bright blue inferno of flames down towards the outer edges of the central dome, sending tonnes and tonnes of debris falling down into the room where Velcia stood, looking terrified.

"Ala!?" the voice of Velcia's Alakazam mumbled as it saw the impending danger.

"Forget about the boy, you fool!" Velcia yelled, panicking. "Use Barrier now!"

Alakazam released it's psychic grip on Zak and began to wave it's hands, attempting to form a psychic forcefield where the ceiling once was, but it was already too late - the rubble was falling towards them and there was nothing the Psychic Pokemon could do about it.

Zak landed on his feet nimbly as he felt the psychic barrier which surrounded him begin to dissipate. He stared up towards the sky where the rubble was falling and could vaguely see the shadow of Knite's Charizard.

"Knite..." he growled.

"Zak!!"

Zak turned to see Yuki running towards him with a sense of urgency in her eyes.

"Huh..." he mumbled. "Yuki...?"

"Watch out!" she cried, leaping into him and pushing him down to the edge of the wall, both of them narrowly avoiding a huge boulder which crashed into the ground.

"Ugh..." Zak groaned.

His head was pounding, but he knew he had to act fast. He stared down at Yuki, who was huddled over his lap. She seemed to be hurt badly; the midsection of her robes were stained red with what he could only assume to be blood, but she tried her best to hide the agony.

"We've gotta go." Zak said simply, then got to his feet, holding Yuki in his arms, before dashing into the hallway where Geol, Falkner, Whitney and Zeni awaited him.

"You okay?" Zak asked Yuki as he set her down beside him.

"I..." she stammered, blushing slightly as she turned away from Zak to hide her face. "I was fine from the start!"

"Zak!" Whitney greeted her friend, hugging him tightly. "I'm so glad you're alright!"

"Heh..." Zak chuckled. "Thanks, Whitney."

Suddenly the group could hear the loud, crashing sound of falling rocks behind them. Zak turned back to face the central dome - what was once there was now replaced by tonnes of brickwork and rubble, with no sign of the Guardians - or Velcia - in sight.


	24. The Chase

"Mom!!" Yuki cried, dashing back towards the fallen rocks which blocked their passage back into the central dome.

The cave-in had completely filled the central dome, and not an air-crack was in sight. Yuki desperately attempted to move the rubble, though it was a futile attempt: the debris was far too heavy for her to remove and each rock was firmly lodged into place.

"Nobody could've survived that." Falkner muttered under his breath, though loud enough for everyone to hear.

Yuki fought back her tears, then turned angrily towards Geol.

"You...!" she growled. "This is all your fault!"

Geol stepped away from the girl uneasily.

"You WANTED her to die!" she yelled, her anger rising and rising with every passing second.

"This was not my doing." Geol replied calmly, trying his best not to further enrage the girl in her currently fragile emotional state.

"Yeah, you can't blame Geol for this," Zeni added. "this was Knite's fault."

"Shut up!" Yuki hissed. "You don't even know me!"

"We can argue as much as we like," Geol sighed. "but every second we spend here is another second we waste not searching for Raikou."

"Dad's right." Zak spoke up. "We've got to hurry. I won't let Knite get away with this."

"What about her?" Whitney asked, motioning towards Yuki, who had yielded to her sorrow and was now sobbing to herself.

Zak wandered over to the girl, placing his hand gently on her shoulder. Yuki shuddered, looking up at the boy, though the tears continued to flow down her cheeks.

"Yuki..." he spoke softly. "Will you help us?"

"I..." Yuki sniffled, unable to connect her words. "I'm not..."

The group allowed a small period of silence for the girl to gather her thoughts.

"You could really help us." Zak continued, smiling at her.

Yuki stared back down at the ground, unsure of what she wanted to say. She was feeling such a bizarre mixture of emotions right now - hatred, sorrow, embarrassment, hope... It was all just too much for her to handle.

"How are we going to catch up with this Knite guy, anyway?" Zeni enquired, confused. "I mean, we're not exactly at an advantage here. We don't even know where he's going, plus he's on a dragon. They're not exactly slow, y'know."

"A valid point, Zeni." Geol answered, nodding his head. "But I have friends in high places. We'll need to get out of these ruins in order to contact them, though - my PokŽgear can't pick up any reception in these caverns."

"I guess we'd better head to the surface, then." Falkner suggested.

Falkner, Whitney and Zeni began to follow Geol through the darkened passageways as he lead the way towards the surface. Zak looked down towards Yuki, his hand still lying on her shoulder.

"Yuki...?" he whispered.

"I'm not strong..." Yuki whimpered between tears. "I can't help... I can't..."

"Hey..." Zak hushed her as got down onto his knees and looked at the girl squarely in the eyes. "That's not what I think. You just saved me, remember?"

"Uh..." Yuki stammered, drying her eyes. "Why would you trust me? I was a..."

"It doesn't matter." Zak interrupted with a firm but gentle tone of voice. "We've got a common goal, right? Neither of us want Raikou to suffer."

"I don't know what I want..." Yuki groaned.

"Well..." Zak responded, getting to his feet and offering the girl his hand. "It's your choice; I'm not going to make it for you. But I want to help you."

Yuki paused for a moment, her tears finally subsiding. She stared up at the walls and the patterns carved into them as she contemplated the boy's offer. He seemed trustworthy enough, though she had lived a mostly sheltered life up to this point, her mother refusing to let her out of her sight. This was the first time she was all alone, without a Guardian to watch over her.

"Fine." she agreed, managing a slight smile as she took the boy's hand.

The two of them hurried after the others, eager to leave the ruins and see the light of day again. Yuki wasn't entirely sure what she was letting herself in for, but she at least knew one thing: that Zak would look after her, no matter what.

* * *

Zak and Geol both walked ahead of the rest of the group; Geol keeping his eyes held firmly in front of him as he searched for a way out of the ruins whilst Zak simply watched him out of the corner of his eye.

Zak wanted to make conversation, of course, but he honestly wasn't sure of what to say. What COULD he say? Both he and his father had just experienced life-threatening situations and witnessed a Pokemon whom many deemed to be merely a myth.

Eventually, Zak braved the silence.

"I never would have imagined Knite could be so dangerous..." he thought to himself out loud.

"I underestimated him." Geol agreed as the group continued walking. "As did Velcia."

Another awkward silence cast a long shadow over the pair as they ventured further into the steadily darkening corridors. The torches on the walls had become smaller and smaller, obviously running low on oil as they had been left ignited for quite some time. The ruins gave Zak a chill, eery feeling: as if he was being watched by something.

"Dad..." he murmured. "Was she really...?"

Geol said nothing, and Zak swallowed hard.

"I mean..." he continued. "Well, what I meant to say was..."

"I'm sorry, Zak," Geol interrupted. "but I have no time to explain right now. As soon as we catch up with Knite I will explain everything to you. It's only fair."

Zak nodded his head idly, though he knew his father wasn't watching him.

"Oh, but Zak... I can tell you one thing."

Zak glanced back over towards the man on his right, who was smiling warmly back at him.

"I couldn't be prouder of you, my son."

A loud crackling could be heard from within the robes of Geol's uniform which startled the rest of the group.

Hurriedly, Geol removed a small communicator which closely resembled Zak's own PokŽgear and held it up to his ear.

"Come in!" a male voice hissed loudly through the PokŽgear's static-filled speakers. "Is a-one there? This i-ance! Co-in!"

"Lance!" Geol barked back into the communicator. "Do you read me? This is Geol! We're inside-"

Geol's voice was cut off by increasingly loud static noises coming from the PokŽgear in his hands. He groaned as he repeatedly clicked buttons on the machine in a desperate attempt to reboot the system and receive the signal again.

"Dammit!" Geol cursed underneath his breath, returning the PokŽgear back into his robes.

"Lance...?" Falkner questioned. "The Elite Four Champion? What's he got to do with this?"

"We've got to hurry and get out of here." Geol explained. "These ruins appear to be affecting the reception of my PokŽgear. I can't get a lock on a dependable frequency."

The sound of static continued to get louder and louder and engulfed the group, as if it was suffocating them inside the cramped hallways. Zak and the others covered their ears desperately as the noise seemed inescapable and the lights of the torches were snuffed out with a sudden, chilly wind.

"What's going on!?" Zeni yelled above the noise as he shielded his eyes from a black, dust-like substance which seemed to suddenly whip around the team in the formation of a miniature sandstorm.

"I guess Knite's not finished with us, yet!" Zak growled, clenching his fists.

Yuki watched as bet she could whilst she shielded her eyes from the dust which surrounded them. She noticed from out of the corner of her eye that the patterns and symbols which adorned the sides of the walls had all begun to glow a steadily brightening white colour, and it wasn't long before the light had completely filled the once shadowy hallway.

"Yuki!" Zak called over towards the girl. "I need my Pokemon!"

Yuki nodded, then removed Zak's backpack from her uniform and flung it towards him. Zak caught it easily and quickly swung it down in front of him, allowing him easy access to the Pokeballs which lay waiting inside.

"Torch, come on out!" he cried as blindly threw a Pokeball further down the hall.

Torch soon appeared from the Pokeball and quickly shielded it's eyes from the glare of the intense lights which surrounded them all. The light was so bright that even the creature's fiery body proved dim by comparison, and Torch strained in an attempt to make out it's surroundings.

"Torch, keep your guard up!" Zak ordered. He already realised that he had no idea how to combat this strange phenomenon, though he made sure the others didn't notice this.

An uneasy silence hung over the group as they waited for the enemy to reveal itself. Slowly the light began to fade and the hallway returned to the darkness of shadow, illuminated only by the patterns on the wall which were now pulsating with a light, pale blue colour.

"What the Hell is going on?" Falkner growled. "I need to get out of this dump!"

"Look!" Whitney cried, pointing towards the numerous patterns which now appeared to be moving.

It was true - the symbols which surrounded them were twisting and contorting on the walls, their large, circular parts appearing to 'blink' as if they were oversized eyes. Zak and the others watched in silent horror as the symbols then began to stretch out and move away from the walls towards them.

"Oh crap!" Zeni screamed, pointing at the creatures as they advanced, their black skin reflecting the light of Torch's fiery body, their empty, white eyes glaring down on the humans menacingly. "This is just like that one film I watched! You keep your tentacles away from our women, bastards!!"

As Zeni said this, Yuki made sure to back away from him, a look of confusion printed on her face.

"Stand back!" Geol commanded. "I'll take care of this."

"Torch!" Zak called, ignoring the orders of his father. "Use Smokescreen! We've got to get out of here!"

Torch obeyed it's master, spouting a cloud of thick, black smog all around them, then leading the way with the bright, orange glow of it's body.

"...Fine!" Geol agreed, dashing through the hallway with Zak, Zeni, Falkner, Whitney and Yuki following closely behind him.

"What the Heck are those things?" Zak questioned as they ran.

Rummaging through his backpack, Zak removed his PokŽdex and browsed through the entries as they dashed through the narrow, pitch black corridors, their only light source the natural fire of Torch's body. Eventually the boy came across an image which looked remarkably similar to what was chasing them, though not identical.

"They're gaining on us!" Yuki shouted from behind the group.

Frantically Zak searched for more information on the Pokemon from the machine as they continued to run straight through the hallways, with no exit in sight.

"Unown," the machine's robotic voice spoke out at them. "the mystery Pokemon. This Pokemon is shaped like ancient writing. No other information available."

"There's an opening up ahead!" Geol insisted, pointing straight towards where they were running to.

As they entered the large room - shaped remarkably like the central dome, though it was a lot smaller and less exotically decorated - Zak screeched to a halt and turned to face the oncoming tide of floating Pokemon.

"Zak!" Yuki called over to the boy. "What are you doing? Are you insane!? We don't know what those things are capable of!"

Zak turned back to her and smiled.

"They're just Pokemon, Yuki." he replied confidently. "And Pokemon battling is what I do best!"

He pointed directly towards the vast crowd of Unown, with a large, confident smile on his face.

"Torch! Use Flamethrower, now!"

Zak's Magmar, Torch, eagerly jumped in front of it's master, spewing a torrent of raging flames all across the entrance to the hallway and engulfing the ancient Pokemon in the process. Zak grinned at his Pokemon's impressive display of strength, and upon the completion of the attack gave the Magmar a congratulatory thumbs-up.

Sure enough, the hallway was now empty, and the comforting light of Torch was the only Pokemon in sight. Zak turned to face the others and grinned to them all, giving them, too, a thumbs-up signal.

"Impressive." Geol commented. "Your skills have improved greatly, Zak."

"Hmph." Falkner mumbled. "Well, what now?"

"I think we start running again..." Zeni groaned, pointing towards the ceiling.

The group all looked up above them and saw the same crowd of Unown descending down upon them as they shifted through the solid walls of the ruins of Alph, looking angrier than ever before.

"Nice going, Zak." Whitney sighed. "Way to make them even madder than before."

"Torch!" Zak cried, pointing up towards the horde of mysterious, Psychic-type Pokemon. "Flamethrower again!"

"Let me handle this!" Yuki interrupted as Torch began to engulf the Unown in another inferno.

The girl threw down a Pokeball of her own, which split in two and revealed the familiar figure of her Ghost-type Pokemon, Haunter.

"Haunter!" she ordered, pointing up to the tornado of flames which Torch was continuing to ignite in front of them. "Use Night Shade, now!"

Haunter cackled in a hollow voice before grinning towards the vast group of Unown which were attempting to battle against Torch's Flamethrower with varying degrees of success. The Ghost-type Pokemon then began to move it's hands in various, shifting patterns, leaving trails of purple, ethereal smoke as they moved through the air until finally the Pokemon pointed it's palms straight towards the Unown and shrieked in a shrill, high-pitched voice like nails on a chalkboard.

Zak and the others felt their breath become light as the entire room seemed to change colours. The walls became a dark, shadowy purple and both the humans and the Pokemon in the room turned a sickly, pale white. Everything appeared to move in slow motion, including the fire of Torch's attack which was now coloured a pale blue.

Zak watched with fascination as the silence overwhelmed the group. Haunter appeared to be focusing intently on it's attack, it's eyes tightly shut and it's mouth twisted into an uncomfortable grin.

Finally the attack ceased and Haunter opened it's eyes once again, sending the group of Unown clattering to the floor, exhausted, save for two, which stared angrily towards both Zak and Yuki, knowing their Pokemon were the reason their comrades had fallen.

"Hm..." Geol mused as he watched both Yuki and Zak stare down the two remaining Unown. "They work surprisingly well together."

"Hmph." Whitney muttered underneath her breath.

"Keep your guard up, Torch." Zak advised his Pokemon, who stood ready to battle. "They're just Pokemon..."

The Unown which was currently glaring at Zak was shaped as a simple, straight line with one large eye in it's centre. It watched the boy closely for a few moments, then, upon realising that he wasn't going to make a move, it charged straight towards the boy, ignoring Torch as it went.

"Woah!" Zak gasped as he dived to the floor and rolled away. "Torch, use Fire Spin on that thing!"

Torch obeyed immeiately, spitting out small torrents of fire which grew in intensity as they approached their target. The Unown moved elegantly from side to side as it dodged the attacks like slow-moving leaves, analysing it's prey closely.

The Unown then began to dive once more, heading straight for Torch this time. Zak watched intently as the two Pokemon came closer one inch at a time, until finally he was ready to give his order.

"Torch, Fire Punch now!" he yelled.

Torch grunted in reply, then swiftly thrust it's ignited fist up in a perfect uppercut which connected directly with the back of the Unown's eye. The Psychic-type Pokemon began to fall to the floor, it's charred body aching greatly, but it refused to give up. Quickly the creature opened it's eye and attempted to strike the Magmar again.

"Now follow it up with Fire Spin!" Zak continued.

Torch leapt up into the air, moving towards a head-on collision with the Unown before unleashing another large blast of flames which twisted around the Unown and refused to let it go.

"Now!" Zak cried, removing the empty Great ball from his belt and sending it flying towards the large mass of flames. "Great ball, go!"

The navy blue ball collided with the Unown amongst a veil of fire, and both Zak and Torch watched intently as the ball fell to the floor, shaking violently.

Falkner, Whitney, Zeni and Geol all seemed to hold their breath as they watched the ball continue to vibrate, the central button of the device glowing a soft red as it attempted to contain the wild Pokemon within it's shell.

Finally the ball fell silent and the central button's red glow faded away, indicating that the Pokemon inside had been safely captured.

Zak wandered over to the ball and no sooner had he picked it up that it disappeared in a sudden burst of light. Zak smiled to himself, happy to know that his newest Pokemon had been transferred to his online storage system which Dalton had set up for him when he registered him for the Johto Pokemon League.

Meanwhile the other Unown, whose body bore a shape very similar to the letter 'S', with two large, black curves on opposite sides of it's giant, white eye, was in a heated conflict with Yuki's Haunter. It charged and dived in mid-air as the two Pokemon dueled mere inches away from the ground, Yuki doing her best to coordinate the Ghost-type as she watched the battle raging on from afar.

"Haunter!" she yelled. "Shadow Punch!"

Haunter cackled in agreement, covering it's right fist with a black, shadowy substance before launching a powerful, thrusting attack with it directly towards the Unown and striking the Psychic-type Pokemon directly in the eye.

The Unown seemed flustered by this attack, but continued to circle the Ghost-type with an unshakeable determination.

Haunter attempted another Shadow Punch, though the Unown was more than prepared this time. The wild Pokemon quickly dodged behind Haunter, then spun in mid-air, emanating a strange, purple and yellow beam of pure psychic energy from it's eye which collided with Yuki's Pokemon.

Haunter roared in pain, then quickly turned back to face the Unown, which was now heading straight for the creature.

"Haunter!" Yuki called out. "Fade out, now!"

Haunter said nothing, instead it's body simply faded into nothingness as the Unown rushed through where the Ghost-type was situated mere moments ago. The wild Pokemon looked around frantically, confused by this sudden turn of events.

"Now fade in and use Shadow Ball!" Yuki shouted.

Haunter obeyed, quickly reemerging behind the Unown and clamping it's ghostly palms together. Within moments an orb of pure shadowy energy appeared before the creature's hands, steadily growing in size and darkness. Quickly Haunter blasted this sphere of darkness directly into the back of the Unown, which silently collided with the floor, exhausted.

"Pokeball!" Yuki announced, taking an empty Pokeball from her belt and tossing it towards the defeated form of the Unown. "Go!"

The red and white sphere hurtled through the air and gently collided with the wild Pokemon, absorbing it's black and white form deep into it's confines. The ball shook for a few moments, but it wasn't long before the Unown had given in and accepted it's new master.

Yuki smiled, clipping the ball to her belt as she approached Zak and the rest of the group.

"So what are you going to call it?" Zak asked the girl as she drew closer.

"I think Unown will do just fine." Yuki answered, almost unable to contain her proud grin. "What about you?"

"I'm thinking..." Zak wondered. "Epsilon."

"Right, well," Whitney interrupted loudly, turning to Geol. "shall we get out of here?"

"That would be wise." Geol admitted, then motioned towards the right-most hallway. "This way. We're almost there."

Yuki returned Haunter to it's Pokeball, and the group, lead by Torch and Geol, made their way back through the shadowy tunnels and towards the exit.

* * *

It wasn't long before the group had reached what Geol claimed to be the exit of the labyrinth. Indeed, there was the undeniable presence of a cold, morning breeze and a source of early light, though it was mostly blocked by a large collection of rocks and rubble which blockaded the team in.

"Great." Falkner groaned. "Guess we'll have to blast our way out."

"Sounds fun." Zeni mused.

"You're so easily amused." Falkner retorted.

"It's easily fixed." Zak interrupted the two before an inevitable squabble could begin. "Zeni, your Sandshrew's a Ground-type, right?"

"Right." Zeni said simply. "What about it?"

"Well, I figured it could dig a hole beneath the surface of those rocks." Zak explained.

"Hm, makes sense, I guess." Zeni sighed. "I was kind of hoping we'd use Hyper Beam to blast them away. That way the girls would have an excuse to hold onto me."

Falkner slapped his forehead loudly.

"Okay, come on out, Sandshrew!" Zeni called, pressing down on the release mechanism of the Pokeball in his hand.

Within an instant Sandshrew appeared before the group. Torch smiled and waved at the Ground-type, which seemed happy to see it's friend. Zak and Zeni's Pokemon had mingled a lot during the Violet City Tournament and thus had developed a quick friendship.

"Sandshrew, we need you to dig a hole beneath those rocks and clear a path for us." Zeni ordered. "You think you can do that for us?"

"Shiiru!" Sandshrew squeaked back eagerly, then immediately dived into the solid ground beneath their feet.

It wasn't long before Sandshrew's efforts were realised. Within a few minutes the rocks began to quiver and caved into the small hole beneath the debris, allowing easy access to the outside.

"Free at last!" Zeni shouted with joy, jumping in the air and stretching his legs whilst Sandshrew watched him curiously.

"Right." Falkner began. "It looks like Geol has some explaining to do, hm?"

The entire group cast their gaze onto Geol, eager to hear the full story from him. Zak had been waiting for so long to know the truth about his journey, and it was finally going to be revealed to him...

"Geol!" a voice called from the skies above.

Zak and the others stared up towards the source of the voice and saw a shadowy figure riding atop a bright, orange Dragon-type Pokemon.

"Knite!" Zak growled, prompting Torch to jump in front of him and prepare a Flamethrower attack.

"No, Zak, wait!" Geol barked.

Both Zak and Torch looked back to Geol, confused expressions on their faces.

The Dragon-type Pokemon began to descend towards the group, and it soon became apparent that it's rider was not Knite, but an equally recognisable face.

"Lance." Geol greeted the man. "I take it you know what happened?"

"Indeed." Lance replied soberly. "I saw Knite heading east, towards Kanto."

Zak took the time to examine the face of Lance. Of course he knew about Lance - the greatest champion of the Elite Four of Johto and arguably the greatest Dragon-type trainer of all time. He wasn't a particularly imposing man: standing at just under six feet tall and appearing to be of an average build. He possessed long, pink hair which spiked straight up by about five inches from his head and soft, pale brown eyes. His uniform was predominantly black, and he bore the official Pokemon Johto League emblem on his chest. On his back flapped a proud, red cape which immediately showed him off to be a distinguished man of great power.

"Kanto?" Geol repeated. "But why would he head there if he's been operating in Johto for all this time?"

"I'm not entirely sure, but I've already notified the police at Indigo Plateau to keep an eye open." Lance continued. "If anyone suspicious crosses the border into Kanto, we'll be notified of it immediately."

"Knite..." Geol mumbled. "What are you up to?"

"Ah, Zak, is it?" Lance spoke up, turning to Zak and shaking his hand firmly. "I've heard so much about you. Trust me when I say that your father is very proud."

"Uh..." Zak stammered, blushing slightly. "Thanks, Lance... It... It's an honour..."

"Ooh, Lance!" Whitney began, her voice also wavering. "Um, I'm the Gym leader of the Goldenrod City Pokemon Gym, and I just wanted to say that I've always admired your work, and-"

"Ah, yes, Whitney Akane." Lance answered, smiling. "And Falkner Hayate. I'm glad to see you're both doing well. How did you get involved in all of this?"

"Uh..." Zeni interrupted the conversation and leaned in close to Lance. "Listen, it's a long story, but Lance, uh, I mean, sir, I was just wondering if you'd like to share your secrets with me."

"...Secrets?" Lance muttered.

"You know..." Zeni's voice had now become a whisper. "How do you snare the ladies so easily?"

"Uh..." Lance chuckled, unsure of what to say.

"There's no time to waste." Geol exclaimed. "We must hurry after Knite. I shudder to think of what he plans to do with Raikou."

"You're right, Geol." Lance agreed. "Come on, you can all ride my Dragon Pokemon."

Falkner waved his hand before speaking up.

"Thanks, Lance." he said. "It's been an honour meeting you, but I can't go with you. The Gym needs me, after all."

Whitney turned to face the boy.

"But Falkner!" she returned. "What about us?"

"You'll be fine." Falkner chuckled, cracking a smile at the girl. "After all, you've got Zak watching over you."

Both Zak and Whitney's eyes trailed to the ground as he said this.

"Very well then." Lance accepted, removing two Pokeballs from his belt and releasing two other gigantic, Dragon Pokemon beside his Dragonite.

Zak checked his PokŽdex on both of these rare Pokemon. The first was familiar to him already - Charizard, a Fire-type with fiery orange scales and large, leathery wings. The second was different, however: with an equally large wingspan and a tail shaped like an arrowhead, the grey beast known as Aerodactyl proved just as impressive as Lance's other two Pokemon.

"Oh, Zak." Falkner began again, walking over towards the boy. "This is for you."

Zak stared in the boy's palm, seeing a shiny, black and white badge formed into the shape of two wings jutting out and down. It was an unmistakable item: the Zephyr Badge.

"You're..." Zak stuttered. "You're giving me this?"

"Right." Falkner confirmed.

"But I..." Zak continued, puzzled. "We haven't even battled yet."

"We don't need to." Falkner explained. "You could beat me. It'd be close, mind you, but you deserve this badge. It's the least I can do for having you look after Whitney."

"Who says I need looking after?" Whitney groaned.

"Thanks, Falkner." Zak said, taking the badge and shaking the Gym leader's hand firmly. "I hope we'll meet again sometime. Then maybe we can battle."

"Me too, Zak." Falkner replied. "Me too."

"I get to ride with Lance!" Zeni yelled.

"I'll ride with Zak." Geol decided, approaching Aerodactyl. "If that's alright with you, of course."

"Of course!" Zak chuckled.

"Guess that leaves you and me." Whitney said, smiling at Yuki.

"Yes..." Yuki mumbled back.

After the seating arrangements had been organised and the trainers were ready to leave, Lance lead the trio of Dragon Pokemon towards the eastern skies.

Zak held onto his father tightly as he felt the wind pick up beneath Aerodactyl. He couldn't believe this was happening. Yes, Knite had taken Raikou and was on the run, but Zak was just so excited to be on this journey. First he'd travelled through Johto and now he was heading into Kanto with his friends by his side.

Falkner watched as the group flew up into the horizon and soon faded away into the sky. He smiled to himself and stared up towards the morning clouds.

"Take care, Zak." he said to himself. "Take care."


	25. Ride on Wings of New Horizons

The songs of birds could be heard all around the forest. Tamara stood in the middle of the clearing, staring up at the beautiful, blue sky and down towards the numerous valleys of Johto. She and Knite had only just stopped their journey for a few minutes in order to gather their bearings in a quiet, inaccessible location, and Mount Silver was perfectly suited for this purpose.

Tamara took a deep breath and admired the many scents of the forest. The wind in this part of the region was thin but fresh thanks to the incredibly high altitude. In fact, it was the highest point of both Kanto and Johto, and the resulting view was simply awe-inspiring.

The girl turned, adjusting her long, red hair as she headed back towards where her companion sat on a fallen log, grinning wildly at the customised Pokeball in his hand.

"So what's next?" she asked the boy as she stood there, watching him closely.

"We can't fly to Viridian, it's too risky." Knite explained in reply. "They'll be watching the skies closely."

"Well, what else can we do?" Tamara pondered out loud. "We could cross Lake Silver... We can't walk through Indigo Plateau, the security will be way too tight."

"We'll have to take the back road." Knite replied, pocketing the ball as he spoke. "We'll climb the mountains. We should be able to make it within two days."

"Right." Tamara agreed. She knew that the back roads of Mount Silver were some of the most perilous routes for travelers in Johto - large, powerful Ursaring patrolled the numerous cave systems and easily startled Donphan happily caused avalanches if provoked. But she also knew that she and Knite possessed equally powerful PokŽmon, and with their support she knew she would be just fine.

Knite got to his feet as Tamara finished her thoughts. Without saying a word he made his way towards the northern edge of the clearing, motioning for her to follow.

"Um..." she mumbled, her heart beating as she looked down to the ground.

Knite simply turned and stared at her, waiting for her to speak.

"Knite..." she stuttered. "Why did you... Why did you save me back at the ruins?"

"I didn't need you to waste your life there." Knite chuckled in response, smiling as he did so. "Come, we have work to do."

Tamara nodded and eagerly followed the boy, covering up a coy smile as she went.

* * *

Zak could feel the chilly Johto air push against his face as Aerodactyl soared in perfect synch with the rest of Lance's PokŽmon on their way towards Indigo Plateau and the Elite Four headquarters.

The group had been flying for quite some time now, and the high altitude combined with the events of the past few hours was causing Zak to feel somewhat sleepy. His head leaned against his father's back as he watched the clouds sail beneath him.

"You should rest, Zak." Geol whispered to his son gently. "You've had a long journey. But don't worry; it's almost over."

"Mmm..." Zak yawned. The boy paused, thinking for a moment, then continued. "Hey, Dad?"

"Hm?" Geol replied, looking back towards his son through the corner of his eye.

"Well..." Zak murmured, not entirely sure how to put his thoughts into words. "I mean, uh... About Velcia..."

"I see..." Geol said with a heavy sigh.

"It's just that, well," Zak continued hastily. "I just think..."

"Yes, you deserve to know." Geol agreed. "After all... She is your mother."

"So it's true?" Zak groaned, staring back down at the distant land of Johto passing beneath them.

Zak felt neither angry nor saddened by this news. To be honest, he didn't really know how he felt. He always knew that Millia was his stepmother and nothing more, but still it felt odd to meet his real mother, especially knowing his real mother had been trying to capture Raikou and make her daughter the queen of Johto.

Zak eyed Yuki as he thought of this. She was sitting behind Whitney on Charizard's back, her long, golden hair flying in the wind and her beautiful, blue eyes staring straight ahead. Though Zak couldn't see her face clearly, she seemed to exude an aura of sadness and pain, and he felt a strong desire to help her. He felt sorry for her.

"It is." Geol groaned back. "If it's any consolation to you, Zak, Velcia and I loved each other very much when you were born. We just had... Differences."

"Differences?" Zak repeated, feeling more confused than ever.

"Yes." Geol nodded as he spoke, staring straight ahead through the ocean of clear, blue sky. "I was a Watcher back then, too, but Velcia wasn't interested in protecting Raikou; she wanted to control it."

Zak was silent as he listened to the story, still not quite able to comprehend the fact that this was all happening to him.

"When I refused to help her..." Geol explained, sighing again as he recalled the memories of that time. "Well, let's just say she wasn't thrilled. She formed the Guardians of Raikou and pledged to capture it one day. Velcia is intelligent, but I knew she never had the skill to capture Raikou on her own. Team Rocket, on the other hand..."

"Team Rocket..." Zak growled deep in his throat.

"That's why I've been away all this time." Geol insisted. "Knite was hired by Team Rocket's leader, a man named Giovanni, to help capture the legendary beasts and harness their power for something. Exactly what I don't know..."

"Dammit, we've got to stop him!" Zak exclaimed angrily. "I won't let him get away with stealing Raikou!"

"Zak..." Geol whispered, smiling as he turned to face his son. Zak simply stared up at his father, puzzled by his sudden change of mannerism. "I want to thank you for looking after your mother and sister all this time, and for being so patient with me. I wanted to tell you before, honestly I did, but I didn't want to endanger you."

"Don't even think about telling me to go home, Dad." Zak chuckled.

"I wouldn't dream of it." Geol laughed back. "I can't think of a greater ally to have by my side."

Both Zak and his father laughed as they continued to glide through the air on Aerodactyl's back, the wind whipping their hair back wildly as the tall peaks of Indigo Plateau began to come into view.

There was a long silence before Geol turned to Zak and spoke up again.

"You're a great man, Zak." he said simply, smiling warmly. "I always knew you would be."

* * *

The glorious building of the Elite Four headquarters and primary location of the Kanto-Johto PokŽmon League stood tall and proud, its gold bricks reflecting the sunlight which rained down upon them.

Zak gaped up at the building in awe: it was huge; by far the largest building the young PokŽmon trainer had ever laid his eyes upon. All around the large, open courtyard were many dark-grey statues, sculpted perfectly to life-size human proportions, each depicting a historically famous or important figure in the history of the Kanto-Johto League.

Zak wandered along the pearly-white brick pathway which cut straight through the neatly combed grass on either side and headed towards the main entrance of the building.

"Hey Zak, wait up!" a familiar voice echoed as he reached the glass doors which automatically slid open as the boy approached.

Zak turned to see Whitney walking closely behind him, smiling.

"Hey." he greeted the girl casually. "You look happy."

"Oh, it's just this place," Whitney explained in reply. "it brings back memories. You know, biggest tournament of my life, officially earning the Goldenrod Gym and so on and so forth."

"I see." Zak responded. "Are my Dad and Lance still speaking with officer Jenny?"

Whitney nodded.

"Mmhmm," she confirmed. "Zeni and Yuki are with them. Doesn't look like they have any definite leads right now."

"Hm..." Zak mused under his breath as he stared down at the brick floor. "Yuki..."

"Huh?" Whitney stammered at this, peering up at Zak with wary, inquisitive eyes.

"Oh, uh, heh," Zak chuckled nervously, snapping out of his trance. "n-nothing! I was just thinking, is all."

"About that girl?" Whitney groaned uneasily.

"Hey, I wasn't thinking anything like that!" Zak protested, quickly rising to his defence.

"I never said you were..." Whitney said in a monotone voice, a growl deep in her throat as her eyes bore into him like daggers.

"It's just..." Zak began again uncertainly. "Well, I don't know. She just seems so vulnerable right now. I wish I could help her."

"She almost killed you!" Whitney exclaimed. "She hypnotised you with her PokŽmon, let her mother go crazy and start sacrificing you to some legendary beast..."

"She saved my life, Whitney!" Zak snapped, interrupting the girl. "She's not a bad person at all, you can't blame her for what her mother did."

"Hmph." Whitney sniffed, turning her head away from him. "Whatever you say. I don't trust her."

"I never asked you to." Zak replied, walking through the doors and inside the entrance hall of the main building.

The inside of the Kanto-Johto PokŽmon League headquarters was an impressive sight to behold. The entire ground floor stretched out before the two trainers and consisted of a fully functional PokŽmon Centre (albeit minus the free beds present in every other centre Zak had been in), a small convenience store and a large art gallery which stretched towards Zak's distant right. Numerous life-sized statues were scattered throughout the building and the floor was covered with immaculately clean, navy-blue tiles.

Immediately Zak made his way to one of the many computers situated near the front desk of the PokŽmon Centre on his left and inserted his PokŽdex into the machine, bringing up a whole list of options as the computer's screen flickered into life.

Zak could feel Whitney's overbearing presence peering over his shoulder as he navigated his Johto League account for the very first time, making sure to read the on-screen instructions as he selected the 'PokŽmon Storage' icon with the mouse cursor.

"You're gonna try out that thing you caught in the ruins?" she asked curiously.

"Yup." Zak nodded, removing a Pokeball from his belt as he analysed the on-screen instructions carefully.

"Who are you going to replace?" Whitney asked again, eager to know the new format of her friend's team.

"Ah!" Zak exclaimed suddenly as he remembered something important. "I've still got to give Scizor back to Dad."

Zak paused for a moment and considered this, then continued with the on-screen transaction by placing the Pokeball in his hand down onto the small alcove on the left-hand side of the computer and clicking on the 'Accept' icon with the mouse.

"I'll go give it to him in just a second." he decided out loud.

Both Zak and Whitney watched in fascination as the Pokeball that now lay idle at the side of the computer began to glow with a warm, red light before finally vanishing into thin air.

The two trainers continued to watch in silence for a moment before a Great ball appeared in its place and the sound of the machine's cooling fans finally began to fade.

Zak reached out and picked up the Pokeball, inside of which his new Pokemon waited. The ball felt comfortably warm in his palm and he clipped it to his belt happily.

"Thank you for depositing your... Fearow." the computers voice spoke up as it displayed a digital image of Zak's Fearow, Pick, on the screen, along with its vital statistics.

"Alright!" Zak said, grinning wildly. "I can't wait to get back to training!"

"Heh," Whitney laughed casually. "yeah, there's nothing quite like that feeling you get after catching a new Pokemon. It's like magic."

Zak nodded and smiled at her.

"Sorry Whitney." he apologised, his expression becoming more serious.

"Huh?" Whitney replied, obviously confused as she took a step back and eyed the boy with a puzzled look on her face. "What for?"

"I shouldn't have snapped at you earlier," Zak admitted, sighing heavily. "it's my fault you've been dragged into all of this. I'm sorry."

Whitney smiled slyly at this.

"Eh," she groaned sarcastically. "I know, you're such a pain."

Zak grinned at her again.

"But seriously, I really do appreciate all your help." he said. "I couldn't have come this far without you."

Whitney said nothing and just smiled, looking to the floor as she tried to fight off a rush of blood that was headed straight for her face.

"Alright," Zak resumed, walking over towards the front desk where nurse Joy sat patiently. "I'm just gonna get the rest of my Pokemon healed and then we'll head back to the others."

"Sounds good." Whitney agreed.

* * *

"Nothing's come by?" Lance asked yet again as he stared deep into the policewoman's eyes. "Nothing at all? You're positive?"

"I'm sorry Lance," officer Jenny sighed in response. "but no matter how many times you ask me it doesn't change the fact that nothing's passed this way. If it had have done we'd have already been all over it."

"Dammit." Lance cursed under his breath, turning back to Geol, who was scratching his beard as he stared down at the floor, looking very pensive.

"They must have landed somewhere in Johto before crossing the border." Geol concluded, then looked over towards officer Jenny before continuing. "Officer, please redirect your blockades to all roads and highways around Indigo Plateau. They can't have gotten far on foot."

As Geol, Lance and officer Jenny continued to discuss their plans, both Zeni and Yuki were sitting beside the road, staring up into the sky.

"It's been months since I last saw the sky..." Yuki whispered, mostly to herself.

Zeni peered over towards the girl and grinned.

"I love the sky." he explained. "Especially the clouds."

"The clouds?" Yuki repeated, looking back to the boy and blinking innocently.

"Yeah," Zeni continued, leaning back with his arms folded behind his head. "well, y'see back from where I come from there's never a cloud in the sky. It's not that I hate the blue or anything, it's just nice to know... Well, y'know."

Yuki continued to stare blankly at the boy as he went silent.

"...That there's something to fall back on." Zeni resumed after a moment of deep thought.

Yuki continued to stare at the boy for a moment before eventually speaking up.

"I'm not sure I'm following you." she said simply, trying to sound as interested as possible.

"Where I come from it hardly ever rains." Zeni replied, refusing to take his eyes off the sky. "And I'm talking like, three or four times a year if that."

"That doesn't sound too bad." Yuki commented, shuffling her feet on the dusty pathway which stretched out before them.

"Water's pretty important in a desert." Zeni answered coldly.

Yuki fell silent, glancing at the boy from the corner of her eye. He was a strange one - one moment he was a goofy, arrogant punk, the next a tortured soul in a strange new land. She felt sorry for him, and at the same time was more curious than ever about his origins.

"So what'd we miss?" the cheery voice of Zak brought Zeni back into reality.

Zeni looked over towards where Geol and Lance were standing, noting how both Zak and Whitney had appeared beside them.

"We're at a roadblock, Zak." Geol explained, sighing as he stared up towards the sky. "There's been no sign of Knite across the whole of the Johto-Kanto border. Looks like we're going to be staying here for a while until we can figure out what to do next."

"If only we had more information..." Lance cursed under his breath.

Zak was silent for a moment as he considered this news, then reached for his belt and handed his father the navy blue Great ball which contained Scizor.

"Oh yeah, Dad," Zak mumbled. "I just remembered while I was at the Pokemon Centre that I got your Scizor back. Knite had captured it, but..."

"Ah, of course!" Geol exclaimed suddenly, evidently excited about something as he gladly accepted the ball from his son. "Zak, that's it! Perhaps Scizor knows something about Knite's location."

"Uh, but..." Zak stammered, watching his father edgily.

"You think Knite would've explained things to Scizor?" Lance questioned Geol's logic with a skeptical look on his face.

"Maybe not that," Geol answered back. "but it's more than likely that Scizor may have overheard at least SOMETHING of interest!"

"Hey, aren't we forgetting something here!?" Zak cried, his voice growing louder and louder in volume to avoid being drowned out by Geol's exclamations.

Both Geol and Lance stared at the boy with wide eyes.

"How are we going to get the information from Scizor?" Zak continued, his arms folded and his expression teetering on the edge of angry. "We can't exactly speak Pokemon."

"Heh," Geol chuckled, unlatching the release mechanism on the Great ball which rested in his palm. "that's not even a problem, Zak."

Both Zak and Whitney took a step back in unison, shuddering as the pale orange glow of the Great ball lit up the pathway of the Indigo Plateau, casting numerous strange shadows which reflected onto the statues which were scattered throughout the courtyard. Zak felt Whitney's hand tugging on his arm and he swallowed nervously as the figure of Scizor began to emerge from the slowly dying light of the ball.

"Cool..." Zeni mused, watching the silhouette of the Steel-type Pokemon begin to fade into view, its dark blue coat of armour reflecting the light of the sun right where it stood.

The creature stared over at Zak, then turned and lowered itself down onto one knee in a courteous bow as it faced Geol.

"Scizor," Geol greeted the creature warmly, placing a hand on its metallic shoulder. "it is good to see you again, my friend."

"I must apologise, master." Scizor spoke up in a tinny, echoing voice which bore a hint of regret in its tone. "I refused to accept your son as my new trainer; a foolish choice which almost came at the cost of the boy's life."

The entire group - save for Lance and Geol - were completely awestruck and simply stared with open jaws at the Pokemon, which was speaking perfect English without so much as a pause for breath.

"Do not fear, my friend," Geol insisted with a gentle tone of voice. "you were only doing what you believed was right. And it may work out for the best... Whilst you were under the control of Knite and Team Rocket, do you recall hearing about a primary destination? The location where Knite would head after capturing one of the legendary beasts?"

Scizor raised an eye at this, then rose to its feet, thinking carefully.

"Hmm..." it murmured in that same, metallic voice from before. "I recall hearing about a plan... A plan to capture all the legendary Pokemon of Johto and... A headquarters..."

"Yes?" Geol pushed, leaning closer to the Pokemon as it continued to think hard. "And where was this headquarters?"

"It..." Scizor mumbled, then looked at its master directly in the eyes. "It was the primary Team Rocket location, just outside of Viridian City in Kanto... Run by a man named..."

"...Giovanni..." Geol and Lance whispered at the same time, finishing Scizor's sentence.

"Yes," Scizor confirmed as it nodded. "yes, that's right."

"Then Viridian City it is!" Geol shouted excitedly. "Knite thinks that he can fool us by taking the long way to Kanto, but we'll be waiting for him!"

Geol paused before turning back to Lance.

"Shall we get going?" he asked.

"There's no time like the present." Lance replied confidently.


	26. Arrival in Viridian

The small video monitor of Knite's Pokegear flickered with static as he and Tamara continued their trek through Mount Silver towards the northern coast of Kanto.

"Report." the man on the miniature screen barked.

Knite smiled to himself confidently. The man displayed on the boy's Pokegear was a sharply dressed, dignified gentleman in a dull yellow suit and straight, black hair that was slicked back with what looked like a gallon of gel. His expression was stern and serious and he seemed less than pleased with the boy he was speaking to.

"Tamara and I should be arriving in Viridian City late tomorrow morning." Knite explained. "I think you will be most pleased with our results, Giovanni."

"I sincerely hope so, Knite." the man on the Pokegear's monitor hissed menacingly. "I've invested a lot of money on this project."

"And our results are more than worth it." Knite assured the man.

"Very well," Giovanni accepted. "I will expect you at the Gym no later than midday."

With those last words, the monitor of the Pokegear switched off and returned to the green and black numbers of a digital clock.

Knite flipped the Pokegear back down to its original watch-like form and turned to Tamara, grinning.

"At last my mission is coming to an end." he chuckled, idly snapping a tree branch with his right hand as he passed.

"That reminds me," Tamara began curiously, looking back over towards the boy. "just what made you join up with Team Rocket? It's pretty obvious you're not an ordinary mercenary like me and the others."

Knite simply smiled at this.

"It's true that money is not my motivation." he admitted. "When we arrive at the Viridian Gym tomorrow you will understand what I've been working for these past two years."

Tamara nodded and continued walking. She was intrigued by the boy's mystery and depth. Though she had originally signed up for this mission as a simple means to attain money, she had soon found herself embroiled in something a lot larger than she could have ever imagined. She had never believed in legendary beasts until she had met Knite: he was so intense - so determined - that his beliefs easily rubbed off on those around him. Until now her life had been nothing but a series of days in which she would work, earn money and train Pokemon. Now all her wildest dreams seemed within her reach - so long as she stayed with this boy.

* * *

Yuki stood on top of the hill which overlooked the city of Viridian and gazed up into the midday sky, her eyes following the clouds as they danced before her. She and the others had arrived last night and were given complimentary stays at a fancy local hotel just on the southern outskirts of town. Though Yuki was enjoying the company of people other than the Guardians of Raikou, she has felt compelled to come here and ponder things on her own.

Yuki slowly sat down on the warm, soft grass and took a deep breath of the fresh, summer air. From here the view of the city was simply breathtaking: highways and skyscrapers punctuated the monotony of building after building.

The girl took in a deep sigh as her thoughts gained the best of her. She had been through so much during these past few days and she was envious of Zak and the others. Not because of their current positions, but because they had all been through equal hardships and yet they could all deal with them admirably. She, on the other hand, was overwhelmingly confused.

"At least I have you guys." she whispered to herself, directing the comment towards the Pokeballs which were hidden in the depths of her robe.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Yuki turned, startled by the voice of Zeni coming from behind her.

"Ah..." she muttered. "Zeni, what are you doing here?"

"First thing I do when I'm in a new place." Zeni replied, sitting down beside the girl. "I go and find the highest point I can. The views are always well worth the climb."

"I see..." Yuki mumbled, looking back over towards the city.

"Mmhmm." Zeni answered, adjusting his sunglasses. "What about you?"

Yuki looked over towards the boy, his Slowpoke perched lazily on his shoulder.

"The same thing, I guess." she sighed. "I don't know, I guess I'm still feeling a little overwhelmed by everything."

"Yeah," Zeni groaned, leaning back and lying down, facing the sky. "I can relate to that."

Slowpoke fidgeted on Zeni's shoulder, obviously annoyed by the boy's sudden change of position, and went to sit down on the boy's chest instead.

Yuki smiled at the creature, then scratched its chin playfully.

"I just wish something would happen soon." she murmured uncertainly.

"Well, if you're bored, you could come with me to check out Viridian Forest." Zeni suggested, sitting straight upright and causing Slowpoke to fall from its perch. "It's always good to have company."

Slowpoke scowled angrily at the boy.

"Heh, sure." Yuki giggled, watching the Water-type Pokemon from the corner of her eye.

"Slow..." Slowpoke groaned, then rolled onto its back sleepily.

* * *

Geol, Lance, Zak and Whitney all made their way through the bustling streets of Viridian City. The group passed marketplaces, playing children and street performers as they scoured the city for a restaurant that would catch their eye.

As Lance and Geol talked, Whitney noted Zak's confused expression.

"Something wrong?" the girl asked, moving closer.

"Hm?" Zak muttered, suddenly caught off guard. "Ah, no, nothing really... Just thinking about Scizor, is all."

"What about it?" Whitney pressed.

"I dunno," Zak said. "I guess I'm still a little confused about how it all works... I mean, Pokemon talking? Who's ever heard of that?"

"Heh, yeah, I know." Whitney laughed. "But I guess it's just like humans - if you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything. Even talk!"

Zak smiled at this. He had never even considered the possibility of Pokemon being able to understand a human language, though it was certainly obvious that all species of Pokemon were able to understand their trainers in at least one aspect of communication.

Geol had explained to the group that he had trained Scizor since it was just a child and that it was an excellent student, willing to apply its knowledge to anything in order to achieve its goals. Zak was certainly impressed by the creature's skills - no wonder it had refused to obey his orders.

"To be honest I'm just glad we know it's on our side!" Whitney added, causing Zak to laugh.

"Yeah," he agreed. "me too."

Just as Zak began to snap out of his thoughts, the group began to hear the excited cries of a Pokemon battle in the clearing of one of the town squares.

Zak's eyes darted around the street until he locked onto the source of the yells and applause: a small stadium in the centre of the square. His curiosity getting the better of him, he eagerly approached the stage and joined the crowd, Whitney following closely.

"Kingler, use Bubblebeam!" one boy yelled his commands to the giant, crab-like Pokemon on his side of the ring.

"Arbok, use Dig!" the boy's opponent called back just as fiercely.

"Charbok!" the large, purple snake-like Pokemon hissed back confidently.

"Huh," Zak mused as he removed his PokŽdex from his pocket and pointed it towards the battlefield. "interesting."

"Kingler," the PokŽdex's monotone voice crackled, displaying an image of the Pokemon on its screen. "the giant crab Pokemon. This Pokemon's pincers can crush even the strongest shells in the blink of an eye."

"King!" the crab roared, pointing its giant pincer towards the enemy and shooting forth a blast of translucent bubbles which traveled at an immense speed.

"Arbok," the PokŽdex continued to drone as Zak pointed the device towards the second Pokemon. "the poison cobra Pokemon. Arbok uses its powerful tail to constrict its foes movement, then finishes it off with a venomous bite."

Just before the projectile of bubbles could collide with the snake-like Pokemon, Arbok dived down into the soft, dusty ground of the stadium and disappeared from view.

"Uh, dammit..." the Kingler's trainer groaned. "Kingler, keep your guard up!"

"Now, Arbok!" the other boy yelled. "Come up and use Dig to finish that Kingler off!"

With a powerful rumble the purple snake reappeared, colliding headfirst with Kingler's soft underbelly and sending its opponent crashing into the other side of the field, unconscious.

"Aw, man..." the Kingler's trainer sighed heavily, recalling his Pokemon back into the Pokeball.

"Good game." the opposing trainer said, shaking the boy's hand.

"Yeah..." the boy groaned again.

Zak watched as the two trainers cleaned up the stadium and then began to disappear amongst the busy streets of Viridian City, along with the crowd that had been watching so intently.

"Say, Zak," Lance spoke up from behind the boy, prompting him to turn and face the Elite Four champion. "how would you like a battle? It's been a while since I had a good match."

"Uh..." Zak stammered uncertainly. "Me? But... You're the Elite Four Champion... There's no way I could-"

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Zak." Lance interrupted. "Just give it your best shot. Winning or losing doesn't mean a thing if it's between friends, right?"

"And you were going to train your Unown anyway, right?" Whitney suggested, nudging Zak with her elbow.

"Hm, well, okay." Zak accepted. "I'd be pretty stupid to pass up an opportunity like this."

"Then it's settled!" Lance laughed, making his way to the far side of the stadium. "We'll each use two Pokemon with no time limit. Whitney?"

Whitney turned on the spot to face Lance.

"Would you mind being the referee for this match?" he asked from across the stadium.

Whitney smiled warmly.

"I'd love to." she replied, taking up her position on the sidelines. "Now choose your Pokemon!"

"Hey, Dad!" Zak called over towards where Geol was standing, watching the coming and going of busy city dwellers. "Do you mind if I use Scizor in this battle?"

"Son," Geol began, smiling at the boy. "Scizor is your Pokemon now. You may do what you wish, so long as he has no objections."

'Hm...' Zak thought to himself, looking down at the Great ball that was fastened to his belt. 'So you're a he, huh? I guess that makes sense...'

"Okay!" Zak announced, removing one of the Great balls from his belt and throwing it into the centre of the stadium. "I choose you, Epsilon!"

The navy ball split open and bounced back into Zak's hand as the form of his newly acquired Psychic-type Pokemon appeared, hovering several feet from the dusty stadium ground.

"Hm, alright..." Lance mused, removing a Pokeball of his own and flinging it towards the centre of the battlefield. "Then I'll choose you, Dragonair!"

The Pokeball opened up in an incredible show of light, revealing a long, slender Pokemon with blue and white scales and what appeared to be a dark pearl latched around its neck. The creature was a beautiful sight to behold, resembling a long snake, though its scales seemed to glow and the entire creature was almost surrounded by a bizarre, yet calming aura. On both sides of its head were two small, white wings, obviously there for decoration, since it was obvious they weren't responsible for allowing the creature to hover in mid-air.

"Dragonair?" Zak muttered, removing his PokŽdex and pointing it straight at the creature.

"Dragonair," the PokŽdex began. "the mystical Pokemon. This Pokemon uses an unknown form of energy to levitate on the spot with ease."

"Trainers ready?" Whitney called, eying both competitors closely: she was eager to see how this match would turn out.

There was an air of silence, and Geol smiled as he noticed that a small audience had begun to gather. Both Lance and Zak had refused to acknowledge this, however: they were so intensely focused on their battle that they could only hear the sound of Whitney's voice and the shuffle of their feet.

"Begin!!" Whitney yelled.

"Epsilon!" Zak cried, pointing directly at the Dragonair which hovered there, patiently waiting for orders. "Use Hidden Power!"

The Unown closed its eye tightly and began to glow a faint yellow colour. After a few seconds of charging its power the glow of the creature's body split apart into twelve miniature spheres of yellow light. These spheres circled around the Pokemon for a moment, then blasted straight towards Lance's Dragonair, sinking deeply into the Dragon-type's body and exploding in a thick cloud of black smoke.

"Direct hit!" Zak cheered, grinning.

"Dragonair," Lance said calmly. "use Hyper Beam."

The smoke began to fade and Zak stared with wide eyes as the snake-like creature darted out of the black shroud and charged straight towards his own Pokemon, an orange ball of light glowing brightly in its mouth.

"Epsilon, get out of the way!!" Zak ordered.

Epsilon ducked below Dragonair, narrowly missing the scorching beam of orange light as it flew past the creature and burned the far edge of the stadium's ground.

"Now use Psywave!" Zak commanded.

"Agility, Dragonair!" Lance retaliated.

Zak's Unown began to spin wildly in mid-air, emitting bizarre, purple waves of psychic energy towards Dragonair, who darted from side to side, avoiding the attacks with ease.

"Now use Wrap on that thing, Dragonair!" Lance continued.

Dragonair shot towards Epsilon, continuing to avoid the creature's attacks without so much as a thought, then wrapped its powerful, slender tail around the target and began to squeeze the life out of it.

"Finish it off with an Ice Beam!" Lance demanded.

"Uh," Zak panicked. "Epsilon, use Hidden Power again!"

Epsilon began to charge another attack, though it was too late: the power of Dragonair's tail wrapping tightly around the Psychic-type Pokemon's body was enough to slow down the creature's attack long enough to allow Dragonair to blast the Unown with a chilling blast of icy energy that froze Epsilon into an ice cube within seconds.

"Epsilon is unable to battle," Whitney declared, raising her right hand towards Lance's side of the field. "Lance is the winner."

"Good job, Epsilon." Zak whispered to the Great ball in his hand as he recalled the Psychic-type Pokemon and placed it on his belt.

"I have a feeling I know what's coming next, Zak." Lance called over cheerfully.

"We'll see." Zak answered, taking the second Great ball from his belt and releasing the lock mechanism.

The stadium was filled with sparks of white light as Scizor's steel body appeared in the centre of the field, his eyes trained directly on Lance's Dragonair.

There was a hushed silence amongst the crowd and the competitors as they all gazed upon the Steel-type creature which stood proudly before them.

"Well now..." Geol chuckled under his breath, leaning against a nearby cafe wall as he watched the battle begin to unfold. "This will be interesting. Let's see if you two will work as well in a team as I think you will."

"Scizor..." Zak muttered, swallowing nervously.

Scizor's head turned ever so slightly towards the boy, looking over his shoulder with a single, menacing white eye.

"I am truly sorry for what I have put you through." the creature spoke in that strangely harmonic, metallic-sounding voice once again. "But I hereby pledge to serve you as best I can... My master."

Zak remained silent for a few seconds as he considered the Pokemon's words, that strange, metallic tone ringing through his ears. All around him he could hear the hushed voices of the crowd, obviously confused by what they were witnessing. His heartbeat echoed in his ears and he breathed deeply.

"Zak." Scizor spoke up again before turning his head back towards the enemy.

Zak wasn't entirely sure, though he thought he could see the creature smiling before it looked away...

"Okay!" Zak shouted confidently, pointing towards Dragonair. "Scizor, use Metal Claw!!"

"With pleasure." Scizor replied, crouching low, then dashing after the Dragon-type Pokemon which continued to hover on the other side of the stadium.

"Dragonair, Agility, now!" Lance cried.

Dragonair gave a high-pitched squeal before spinning around the battlefield, circling Scizor and becoming faster and faster with every lap.

Scizor simply watched the creature circling him and smiled. Slowly he began to move his steel wings, making them beat quicker and quicker until he was hovering in the air himself. Scizor reached out with his right claw and with a loud clang of steel against scale caught Dragonair's neck in a powerful, vice-like grip, forcing the Dragon-type to let out a terrified screech.

"Ugh," Lance groaned, pointing a Pokeball towards the trapped creature. "Dragonair, return!"

Zak and Lance both smiled at each other from across the dusty stadium, shifting their feet as they both became even more intensely involved in the battle.

"I knew Scizor wouldn't be easy to take down." Lance chuckled to himself. "This should be interesting..."

The Elite Four Champion threw down his final choice of Pokeball into the centre of the stadium, leaving a shower of light to flood the battlefield.

"Come forth!" Lance yelled. "Dragonite!!"

* * *

The sounds of wild Pidgeys and Spearows echoed throughout the forest as Zeni and Yuki both made their way along the dusty pathway. The sun shone brightly through the thick leaves of the forest canopy and Zeni breathed in the fresh midday air proudly.

"So is this your first time in Kanto?" Zeni asked the girl as they wandered through the forest, admiring the different sights and sounds of nature.

Yuki nodded before she answered.

"What about you?" she replied.

"Yeah, it's my first time, too." Zeni admitted, then scanned the area once again. "Doesn't seem too exciting, though..."

"You're unbelievable!" Yuki laughed in response. "We've only been here five minutes."

"It's not exactly exotic." Zeni protested.

"So..." Yuki began, her voice steeped in curiosity. "You told me something back at the plateau... Something about where you're from?"

"Uh, yeah..." Zeni answered, his eyes lowering down towards his feet as his voice grew softer and softer.

"Oh, uh," Yuki stammered uneasily, worried she might have offended the boy. "if you don't want to talk about it, I totally understand."

"Oh, no, it's fine!" Zeni exclaimed, suddenly becoming very flustered. "I just, uh, I just don't really know where to start, is all."

Just as Zeni finished his sentence, a rush of wind brushed past his face. Confused, Zeni spun around on the spot, narrowly avoiding the figure of a young man as it sped across the forest floor and up into one of the many tall trees which surrounded them in the clearance.

"What the Hell?" Zeni growled, quickly reaching for a Pokeball from his belt and throwing it down to the floor. "Sandshrew, come on out!"

Sandshrew's Pokeball fell to the dusty ground, splitting in half and releasing the small form of the Ground-type Pokemon. Both Sandshrew and Zeni glared up towards the tree where the figure had disappeared, waiting for any sign of motion they could detect.

"Come on out here!" Zeni barked. "You think I can't tell when someone tries to steal my Pokemon?"

Yuki quickly drew the halberd from the back of her robe, flicking it down towards the ground and staring towards the tree.

"Heh, you're better than I thought." the voice of a young male spoke up from the forest canopy. "Alright, I'll play your little game."

Suddenly the figure darted back down onto the ground, leaning casually against the trunk of the tree, his hands in his pockets.

The stranger was clearly a young man - around the age of eighteen or nineteen - and wore a dark green jacket with urban camouflage pants and shirt. His hair was a pale green and spiked up messily by a couple of inches from his forehead, whilst the lower portion of his face was covered by a dark green mask made of a light, flexible cloth. His eyes were an icy blue colour and on his belt were a variety of weapons - small daggers, throwing stars and Pokeballs were all lined across his hips.

"We don't have time to play any games," Zeni explained, his face angry and stern. "you can just leave before I make an example out of you."

"Big words for such a little man." the stranger replied. Zeni couldn't be sure, but he thought he saw the man grinning underneath his mask as he spoke. "Is that for the benefit of your little girlfriend?"

"Sandshrew, Sand Attack!" Zeni commanded, pointing towards the stranger.

Sandshrew quickly swiped its tail against the dusty ground, flinging dirt and sand towards the man. The dust quickly settled and the stranger was nowhere to be seen.

Zeni frantically looked around, now realising that this was nobody to be trifled with. Suddenly he could hear the sound of rushing wind once again, and he quickly took a step back as a razor-sharp throwing star came spinning his way, landing into the thick trunk of one of the many trees which surrounded the group.

"Zeni, be careful!" Yuki warned, training her eyes on the throwing star and attempting to lower her breathing to a whisper as she had once been taught by her mother.

Suddenly Zeni felt something hard pressed against the small of his back. He wanted to crane his neck in order to see what was behind him, but was too afraid of antagonising his opponent and so remained deadly still, save for his heavy, nervous breathing.

"Crap..." Zeni swallowed. "Who are you?"

"My name is Rafal, and I am one who is trained in the ancient arts," the stranger breathed softly into Zeni's ear. "something you could never begin to comprehend."

"Ancient arts...?" Zeni repeated. "Want to be any more vague?"

"Get your hands off him!" Yuki screamed, the tip of her halberd pointing straight at the man. "I've been throwing this for miles since I was a baby, and it's aimed straight at your head!"

"I wouldn't doubt it for a second, princess!" the man laughed casually, removing the small dagger from Zeni's back and replacing it on his belt.

Yuki continued to keep her weapon pointed directly at the stranger, waiting for him to leave. The man paused for a moment, his hands in his pockets, before moving back towards Zeni and whispering to him again.

"It's been fun." he breathed, before suddenly sweep kicking the boy to the ground and disappearing back into the shadows of the forest from where he first came before Yuki could have a chance to react.

Quickly Yuki dashed over towards Zeni, helping the boy back onto his feet. Zeni gladly accepted the help, though remained silent, dumbstruck by how easily he was taken down.

"Are you okay?" Yuki asked, looking him over.

Sandshrew looked up towards its trainer, worry in its eyes.

"Uh, yeah..." Zeni stammered as he returned to his senses. "Yeah, I'm fine, just a little caught off guard is all."

"Who was that guy?" Yuki wondered out loud, kicking the ground in frustration. "Dammit, if only Zak had been here..."

"He said his name was... Rafal, or something..." Zeni muttered, then frowned. "Hey, what was Zak gonna do?"

"I guess we'd better head back to the Pokemon Centre." Yuki suggested. "Come on, let's go."

Zeni sighed as Yuki began to follow the path back towards Viridian City. Before he left he simply stared towards the thick trees of the forest where Rafal had disappeared, and scowled.

* * *

The entirety of the enormous crowd that had gathered around the small practice stadium in Viridian City remained stuck in a huge, vacuous silence as they watched the intense battle between Zak and Lance continue to play out.

The sound of the wind's gentle breeze could be heard flowing throughout the small square whilst Zak and Lance continued to stare each other down. Whilst Lance wore a confident smile on his face, Zak appeared to be exhausted, panting and sweating almost as much as the Scizor under his command. Lance's Dragonite was also clearly exhausted, and it was perfectly obvious that these two Pokemon were almost exactly matched in terms of strength.

"Hm..." Geol mused, still standing at the far corner of the square, watching the action unfold. "Most impressive. Both Dragonite and Scizor have been battling for two hours now, and neither one is conceding an inch."

The man peered over towards Zak and smiled, watching the boy standing there, contemplating his next move, the pressure of the crowd and of his opponent clearly influencing him.

"Zak isn't used to this kind of pressure," Geol murmured underneath his breath. "Lance has a clear advantage as a trainer - he was prepared early for a long and difficult battle, whereas Zak was expecting a quick and decisive first attack. Interesting, indeed..."

Whitney felt a nervous drop of sweat roll down her forehead as she squinted through the dust and heat of the afternoon battle.

"Come on, Zak," she whispered to herself. "you can do this!"

"Scizor!" Zak cried after what seemed like hours of deliberation. "Use Metal Claw one more time!"

Scizor, body shaking with exhaustion, began to slowly step towards Dragonite. The Dragon-type continued to watch its opponent warily, waiting for its trainer to issue the next move.

Suddenly Scizor used what little strength he had left in his legs to propel his body directly towards the enemy, pulling back his arm in preparation for one final strike.

"Dragonite!" Lance called, unfurling his cape as he pointed directly towards the oncoming Scizor. "Use Dragonbreath now!"

Dragonite stepped back, then blasted the enemy with a fiery stream of orange and green energy, engulfing Scizor's metal body in intense heat. Immediately the Steel-type fell to the ground, unconscious. Dragonite's attack ceased and, whilst the creature wobbled slightly, Lance's Pokemon managed to remain standing.

"Scizor is unable to battle!" Whitney declared, raising her arm towards Lance. "The winner of this match is Lance of the Elite Four!"

Lance smiled and the two trainers recalled their Pokemon before approaching the centre of the field and giving one another a firm handshake.

"Congratulations." Zak managed. He was disappointed, though he didn't want to show this to Lance.

"Why thank you, Zak." Lance replied, smiling warmly at the boy. "But it is you who should be congratulated. That was an incredible match - the best I've had in a long time!"

"Uh..." Zak mumbled, blushing slightly at the sudden, unexpected compliment. "R-really?"

"Of course!" Lance chuckled, motioning towards the huge crowd which then erupted into applause. "And this crowd is proof of that."

Zak grinned, unable to contain his excitement - he had become so obsessed with the idea of beating Lance, was so close to defeating the Elite Four Champion - that he had forgotten this was simply a training match. Zak looked over the crowd, seeing Whitney giving him a thumbs up sign, and off in the far corner was his father, quietly applauding and smiling up towards him.


	27. Confrontation! Knite Arrives!

It was late at night and the sky was a dark shade of purple when Zeni and Yuki finally arrived at the hotel in which the group were staying. Despite the time, the citizens of Viridian City continued to fill the streets: young couples walked the alleyways and families dined outside restaurants. It was all a very soothing image - as if nothing bad could possibly happen.

Zeni opened the door to the hotel as quietly as possible, motioning towards Yuki to do the same as he began to creep inside the entrance hall, only to be greeted by the faces of Geol, Lance, Zak and Whitney, who were each seated around a table with half-finished plates of food before them.

"Good evening, Zeni!" Geol chuckled, taking another bite of the steak which lay before him. "We were beginning to worry about you two."

"Oh, uh..." Zeni mumbled. "You guys ate already?"

"Well, it's already gone ten." Whitney replied, placing her fork down on the plate and pushing it towards the centre, indicating that she was full. "We tried to wait for you as long as we could."

"What took you two so long, anyway?" Zak asked curiously.

"Oh, just some sightseeing." Yuki explained, bowing apologetically. "Sorry we're so late; it was my fault."

"It's no trouble," Geol answered. "we know you two can take care of yourselves."

'I wish I had his confidence...' Zeni thought to himself, his eyes trailing down towards the floor.

"Well," Geol yawned, stretching his arms out. "that was a great meal, but I think I'm going to have to call it a night."

"Indeed." Lance agreed. "I already spoke with the chief of Viridian police and they explained that they would be on full alert for anyone suspicious entering the city tomorrow."

"Even so," Geol began. "we should remain cautious and keep our eyes open for any sign of Team Rocket. Remember to report anyone or anything suspicious."

"I guess I'll get to bed now, too." Whitney decided out loud. "We've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

Within a matter of minutes the party had paid for their meal and went their separate ways. Geol, Lance, Whitney and Yuki proceeded to their separate rooms, whilst Zak and Zeni decided to head to the hot springs located at the back of the hotel. It was a beautiful night, and the thought of being able to soak away their worries was a tempting idea.

The water gave a pleasing sensation as it surrounded Zeni's skin, wrapping the boy in a blanket of warmth. Zeni peered over towards Zak, who was leaning back in the water, his eyes closed and his worries washing away with every passing second.

The young thief sighed loudly, prompting Zak to open one eye and peer back at his friend.

"Something wrong?" Zak asked.

Zeni simply stared up towards the night sky and allowed his body to slide down until everything below his head was submerged by the calming waters of the hot spring.

"Well," Zeni started, though wasn't entirely sure of how to continue. "uhm, it's nothing really."

"You're not going to ask me for advice on how to get Yuki to like you, are you?" Zak groaned.

"What!?" Zeni yelled, quickly rising to his feet and glaring down at the boy beside him. "That's got nothing to do with it!"

"Woah, woah!" Zak joked, waving his hand at Zeni's clearly flustered face. "Calm down, big guy - don't get all defensive!"

Zeni sighed, allowing his anger to subside as he slipped back down into the water.

"Someone attacked us in Viridan Forest..." he murmured.

"Attacked you?" Zak repeated, his eyebrow raising slightly. "Who? What did he look like? Was it one of Knite's goons?"

"Well, he didn't look like he was from Team Rocket..." Zeni recalled, thinking long and hard. "But I guess he must've been. Said his name was Rafal and he was trained in the ancient arts or something. He tried to steal my PokŽmon and when I confronted him he just... Well, he just disappeared."

"Huh," Zak replied, leaning back against the smooth surface of the rocks behind him. "well, that's weird. You sure he wasn't just some thief?"

"Hey!" Zeni protested, his voice beginning to show signs of anger once again. "I'm a thief, too, remember? You think I wouldn't know my own kind!?"

"Well," Zak began, getting to his feet and exiting the hot spring. "I'll be sure to tell my Dad, maybe he'll know something. Until we know more all we can do is stick to tomorrow's plan."

Zak paused before entering the hotel and turned back to Zeni, giving him a thumbs up sign.

"Goodnight, Zeni."

"G'night." Zeni answered, turning back and looking up towards the stars.

The night was so calm and peaceful. If he listened closely he could hear the muffled laughter and voices coming from the hotel walls, but most of his senses were dominated by the sound of the water gently lapping against his skin and the rustling of leaves in the wind. Slowly but surely the sounds of nature began to wash away Zeni's fatigue and his eyes began to close...

Time passed and Zeni's thoughts slipped back into an eery memory. He could feel a burning heat crashing down on his skin as he walked and walked, his legs quivering with every step. Sand and dust blasted against his face and he gritted his teeth, fighting his way through the storm. In his arms he held three Pokeballs, each one battered and dented with clearly visible marks and scratches etched into the plastic surface.

"Almost..." he breathed. "There..."

The sand continued to push and pull the young trainer in many directions, causing him to fall many times. He had gone for so long without water and his body had never felt weaker. When suddenly, like a glimmer of hope upon the horizon, he saw that most brilliant of sights - the ocean.

"Yes...!" he panted, his voice nothing more than a hushed whisper as he attempted to move faster and faster towards his goal. "Almost... There...!"

One step, two steps, three steps, and then... Zeni's weight shifted forward and he began to fall into the soft, yet unforgiving desert sand, his body quickly becoming covered in dirt and debris.

Zeni held one shaky arm out towards the coast, his eyes half shut through exhaustion, the Pokeballs he had been carrying scattered across the dune.

"No..." he wheezed. "It can't end... Like this..."

Suddenly Zeni was snapped back into reality by a strong night's breeze. He was back in the hot spring, alone save only for the stars which lit the sky above.

"Dammit..." he whispered to himself as he stared down at his reflection in the water below. "Why is all this bringing back so many memories...?"

Zeni paused for a few minutes, trying not to reflect too much on the past. Eventually he began to grow tired, rising out of the water and reaching for his towel, wrapping the cloth around his body and heading back into the hotel, his eyes following his feet as he continued to wonder about the hidden motives of Rafal, that mysterious assailant from Viridian forest...

Zeni was so absorbed in his thoughts that he never even considered paying attention to where he was going. His memories continuing to trouble him, he managed to blindly walk straight into the ladies' changing rooms, stopping only when he heard a sultry, unfamiliar voice speak up.

"Oh my..." the woman stammered as Zeni unwittingly entered the room.

The young trainer's eyes jerked up and he saw the image of a tall, slender woman in her mid-forties - her shapely figure was wrapped up tightly in a light, cotton towel and what skin she revealed was glistening with water from the hot springs. Her long, flame red hair cascaded down her shoulders and her bright, brown eyes showed an inner desire as she bit down on her lip playfully, looking the boy up and down slowly.

"Uh..." Zeni stuttered, his face immediately flushing an incredibly bright red. "I think I... Uh, I mean..."

The trainer swallowed hard and began to slowly back out of the room as the woman began to make her advance towards him.

"Don't be shy, baby..." the woman whispered with a voice steeped in lust. "It's been a long time since I've seen a stud like you..."

"OH CRAP!!" Zeni screamed, immediately turning and dashing down the hotel hallway, refusing to look back.

"Huh..." the woman mused as she watched the boy leave. "So many of them are turning gay these days. Such a shame..."

* * *

The morning came quickly for Zak and the others when Geol and Lance took the time to wake everyone up at first light. Geol explained to the team that the police and security forces of Viridian city had all been notified of Knite's arrival and checkpoints had been set up around the entire perimeter of the city.

Knite's most likely points of entry, Geol went on to explain, would probably be either the north or west entrances to the city, so Zeni and Whitney were assigned to the west entrance, whilst Zak and Yuki were assigned to the north. Lance would be guarding the south entrance and Geol would be watching over the east entrance, though everyone had the support of the police forces in nearby areas in case anything went wrong.

Zak and Yuki had been on guard duty for just over four hours now and the sun was steadily rising to its peak, midday position. It was a hot and humid day and both trainers had suffered from a lack of sleep, making the whole situation seem a lot more nerve-wracking.

Zak and Yuki both stood near the entrance to the city, where police forces had set up a road block and were rigorously identifying anyone who entered the city.

"You bored yet?" Zak asked the girl who was standing beside him, leaning on the handle of her weapon and yawning every so often.

"It doesn't take much to get me bored." Yuki admitted, smiling.

"So what did you and Zeni-? Aw, dammit..." Zak muttered under his breath, suddenly recalling what Zeni had told him last night.

"Hm?" Yuki wondered out loud. "What is it?"

"Zeni told me about that guy from yesterday who attacked you." Zak explained, sighing. "And I forgot to tell my Dad about it..."

"Oh." Yuki answered. "I probably wouldn't worry about it if I were you. I don't think he's going to be bothering us again."

"I dunno, Zeni seemed kinda worried about it..." Zak mumbled. "But anyway, yeah, you're probably right."

An awkward silence befell the two trainers before Zak spoke up again.

"So anyway..." he began, somewhat nervously. "Uhm... I know it's a touchy subject but would you mind... Um..."

Yuki looked at the boy curiously.

"I mean, uh..." Zak chuckled. "Well, I was kinda hoping you could tell me about... About what Mom was like."

Yuki's face flushed a light shade of pink and she tried to force away the pain of her memories at the ruins of Alph.

"I don't know..." she finally managed. "Well, she was all I ever knew. She was kind, caring, gentle..."

Zak looked at the girl, intrigued by her story. Yuki was clearly upset, though she did an admirable job of hiding her sorrow.

"Ambitious..." Yuki continued. "She taught me everything I know. She only ever wanted the best for me..."

Zak nodded. Though he never knew Velcia like Yuki did, he still felt as if a part of him had been missing his whole life, and this was a priceless glimpse at what had once filled that void.

Suddenly Yuki looked back up to Zak, determination replacing the sorrow that was once evident in her eyes.

"And that's why I have to get Raikou back!" she declared. "I have to do it for Mom."

"I..." Zak stammered, then smiled warmly. "I understand. And we will get Raikou back."

Yuki stepped closer to Zak, her body feeling weak as she began to let her emotions get the better of her. She'd been alone for so long - she just wanted someone to protect her...

"I promise." Zak said as he gently wrapped his arms around the girl and held her close.

"Now!" a voice yelled from one of the nearby alleyways as a figure rushed past, pulling Yuki out of Zak's grip.

"Wha!?" Zak exclaimed, following the course of the figure as it came to a halt in front of a small building opposite the trainer.

"So you're the prince..." the man, who was wearing a dark green mask and matching jacket with urban camouflage pants, chuckled. "I must admit I was expecting more from the destined 'king of Johto'."

"Just who are you?" Zak demanded, removing a Pokeball from his belt and enlarging it in his palm. "Let Yuki go!"

"My name is Rafal." the man revealed. "I was hoping to get this out of the way yesterday, but it seems I'll have to do this the hard way instead..."

"Let Yuki go!" Zak ordered. "I'm warning you!"

Yuki struggled desperately, but it was no use - the man was a lot stronger than he first appeared and had her at his mercy in a convincing choke hold.

"I don't have time for this, my prince." Rafal laughed.

Zak's eyes trailed down towards Rafal's hands. His left hand was wrapped tightly around Yuki's neck, whilst his right was holding what appeared to be a damp cloth. Slowly the masked stranger reached up with his right hand, gagging Yuki with the cloth. Yuki continued to struggle until eventually she fell unconscious.

"Yuki!" Zak cried. "What the Hell did you do to her, you son of a bitch!?"

Without a second thought Zak threw down the Pokeball in his hand, revealing the form of his Unown, Epsilon. Epsilon hovered in mid-air for a moment, glaring down at Rafal with its single, gigantic eye.

"Heh, just a small dose of temporary paralysis." Rafal explained, a smile forming underneath his mask. "She should be out for about three hours. That's more than enough time to take her back to the mistress."

"Epsilon, Hidden Power!" Zak commanded, pointing straight at Rafal.

"Uh-uh-uh!" Rafal laughed back. "You don't want to hurt the princess now, do you?"

Epsilon was in the middle of charging its attack when Zak raised his hand.

"Stop, Epsilon." he growled, gritting his teeth. "We can't risk hurting Yuki."

By this time the crowd of police officers had begun to surround Rafal, watching his every move. Rafal was aware of this, and so he slowly began to back into a nearby alleyway.

"Well, it's been fun," Rafal shouted over to Zak. "but I can't stay long. Adios, prince!"

With a flash of smog the man vanished into the darkness of the alleyway, leaving Zak and Epsilon standing amongst a crowd of confused officers and blaring sirens.

"DAMMIT!!" Zak screamed up into the sky. He paused to think for a second, then rushed over to officer Jenny who was attempting to investigate the alley in which Rafal had just made his escape.

"Officer Jenny!" he panted. "Get in contact with the eastern squad and tell my Dad what just happened - I need to follow Yuki!"

"But Zak..." the policewoman stammered. "How are you going to know where they went?"

"Zeni said something about Viridian forest." Zak explained. "There's no time to waste - Epsilon, let's go!"

The Unown bowed to show its understanding, then immediately followed Zak as he began to dart through the crowd of Viridian security and towards the forest to the north.

"But Zak!" officer Jenny called after the boy. "It's dangerous to go alone!"

Zak didn't even answer, instead just focusing on running as fast as he could. If he was right about where Rafal was headed, then he was at a distinct advantage. Yuki would be slowing the stranger down, and Zak was no slouch in the athletics department. He would catch up to them no matter what.

* * *

The sound of grating metal echoed inside the narrow sewer tunnels as Knite removed the manhole cover and peered out onto the surface. In his field of vision he could see a smooth, metallic room with an electronic door and keypad beside it.

"This is the place." he said back to Tamara, who was standing beneath him.

"Finally." the girl sighed. "The smell down here was really starting to get to me."

Knite climbed up into the small room and immediately got to work unlocking the large, metal door whilst Tamara pulled herself up behind him. With every key that was pressed came a confirmation beep until finally Knite finished entering his security password and positioned his eye directly in front of the retina identification panel.

"Identity confirmed." a computerised voice hissed from the keypad's speakers. "Proceed."

The door quickly slid open, allowing both Knite and Tamara easy access to the inside of the Viridian city Team Rocket complex. Knite entered their destination on the elevator keypad and the doors slid shut, the transport rising up towards the appropriate floor.

"We made pretty good time." Tamara commented, leaning against the elevator wall with her arms folded in front of her chest.

"Indeed." Knite replied, nodding. "That commotion at the north entrance couldn't have come at a better time."

After a few more seconds the elevator arrived at their destination - the top floor of the building.

Knite and Tamara exited the transport, listening as the metal doors slid shut behind them and the elevator was called to another destination. Knite began to approach the desk in front of them, where a female secretary was sitting, obviously not impressed by the thought of dealing with people.

Tamara took the time to admire the top floor of the building. It was a small room, about ten feet or so in both length and width and had several portraits, mostly of ancient, legendary Pokemon, hanging on the otherwise sparse walls. In the centre of the room was the desk where Knite was talking with the secretary, and on the back wall was a plain, wooden door with an electronic keypad similar to the one by the elevator positioned at its side.

After a few minutes of negotiating the secretary allowed the two trainers to enter the back room, where the leader of Team Rocket himself was waiting for their report.

This room was much grander in both size and decoration. The room measured around twenty feet in length and thirty feet in width, and was adorned with numerous portraits and statues of obviously powerful Pokemon. In the middle of the room, towards the back wall, was a gold-coloured desk which was covered in numerous papers and decorative Pokeballs. Behind this desk was a luxurious black leather chair, and there, sitting down and dressed in a crease-free yellow suit with a Persian on his lap, was Giovanni.

"So you're finally here." the man greeted the two trainers in a gruff, impatient voice. "You certainly took your time."

Knite said nothing and simply smiled, placing the customised Pokeball on the desk in front of the man.

"As promised, Giovanni," Knite began. "Raikou, the legendary beast of lightning."

Giovanni's eyes immediately lit up as he took the Pokeball and stared at it with a large grin on his face.

"Incredible..." Giovanni breathed, his voice no louder than a whisper. "Raikou..."

The man looked up at Knite and Tamara and smiled, getting to his feet.

"You've done a great job, Knite." he congratulated the boy. "Nobody in my team could have achieved this feat."

"I've made my down-payment." Knite said simply, his face cold and distant. "Now it's time for your end of the bargain."

Tamara's eyes watched Knite closely as he said those words.

"Of course, of course." Giovanni chuckled, reaching for the gold phone which lay waiting on his desk. He pushed down on the activation key and spoke his orders into the machine. "Isabel, have doctor Nanba report to the laboratory at once."

There was a slight pause before the phone's loudspeakers replied with the voice of the secretary outside.

"He will be ready in thirty minutes, Giovanni sir."

"Perfect..." Knite whispered to himself, licking his lips.

* * *

Zak had been running through Viridian forest for what seemed like hours and had yet to find anything relating to Yuki or the mysterious Rafal.

'I can't give up...' his thoughts echoed in his head. 'I can't let Yuki down...'

Suddenly he heard the ringing of his Pokegear, the noise causing several Spearow to scatter from the trees and fly up into the sky. Zak quickly flipped up the cover of the device, the screen identifying the name of the caller as he answered.

"Zak?" came the voice of Geol through the Pokegear's speakers. "Zak, can you hear me?"

"Yeah, Dad." Zak breathed back, exhausted from his non-stop running. "I hear you."

"Dammit, Zak, you've got to pull yourself together!" Geol insisted. "We had a plan and you've got to stick to it!"

"But this was never part of the plan!" Zak protested angrily. "Yuki's in serious trouble, who knows what that lunatic's doing to her!?"

"Zak!" Geol growled. "What would Yuki want!?"

Zak stopped and thought about this.

"Think, Zak." Geol continued. "Would Yuki want you to sacrifice Raikou and let Team Rocket get away with everything they've done? I don't think she would."

"I..." Zak stuttered.

"We can search for Yuki later, but right now Knite is our priority, understand?"

Zak remained silent for a moment. He could feel his heart beat as he tried to slow down his breathing and calm his thoughts. Yuki... Yuki was in trouble, yes, but... If he let Knite get away now, he may never get another lead and Raikou could be trapped in Team Rocket's clutches forever. Right now he had no clue where Rafal had taken Yuki, but he did know where Knite was headed: Viridian city.

"You're right, Dad." Zak admitted, sighing as he stared at the grass below his feet. "I'll head back to the city."

"Good." Geol answered. "I've had Zeni move to your position so you can take a break. Oh, and son... I know your heart's in the right place."

With those final words the Pokegear gave a click and the call ended.

* * *

After a few minutes of walking back to the city Zak met up with Zeni, who seemed more than just a little bored with the whole situation. After speaking briefly with his friend, Zak decided to head further inside the city and take a lunch break to help clear his head.

As he walked along the busy streets and sidewalks, people freely coming and going before him, his Pokegear began to ring again.

Zak looked down at the device, which displayed the name 'Whitney' in green and black digital lettering.

"Hello?" he greeted into the Pokegear's microphone as he flipped the device open and answered the call.

"Hey Zak." Whitney greeted back. "How are you?"

"I'm fine." Zak lied in response.

"Ha, you can't fool me, Zak." Whitney chuckled. "I can always tell when you're lying, remember?"

Zak groaned at this.

"Well, anyway," Whitney continued. "I just wanted to say that it wasn't your fault Yuki got caught."

"Huh?" Zak answered uncertainly.

"I just don't want you feeling guilty about it." the girl explained. "Like that time Tanner caught me - you couldn't do anything about it, so it's not your fault."

"Uh..." Zak stammered. "Thanks, I guess."

"I'll tell you what," Whitney suggested, her voice brightening up in an attempt to infect Zak and chase his gloominess away. "tonight you and I can battle. A Pokemon battle always helps to take your mind off things."

"Huh..." Zak muttered as an idea entered his mind. "Thanks, Whitney - that sounds great."

"Sure!" Whitney giggled. "And don't think I'll be going easy on you!"

The Pokegear gave an audible click as Whitney ended the call. Zak flipped the cover of the Pokegear back down and looked over towards the opposite side of the street where a large building stood, the sign above the entrance proudly displaying the title 'Viridian City Pokemon Gym'.

"Whitney's right..." he said to himself, smiling as he approached the entrance. "A battle's just what I need right now. So why not earn a badge while I'm at it?"

The interior of the Gym was dark and foreboding, reminding Zak of his battle with the Ecruteak city leader, Morty. Perhaps the owner of this Gym was also a Ghost-type trainer, or possibly even a Dark-type trainer. Zak savoured the idea of a battle against a new and exciting Pokemon type, but first he would have to find the leader...

"Uh... Hello?" he called out into the darkness as he pushed further inside the building. "Anyone home?"

There was no answer, just the echo of his voice reverberating around the hollow main room.

Zak's eyes were slowly beginning to adjust to the darkness as he managed to make out the large stadium that was raised in the centre of the room. He wandered around the edge of it and towards the back wall, where he felt his way across, staring up at the Gym and hoping to find someone who could help him register for an official match.

"I'm here for a Pokemon battle!" he tried again to raise some interest. "I'd really appreciate it if you could turn the lights on or something!"

Suddenly Zak felt a sharp, square-shaped object in his left hand. He looked down, seeing several blinking red and green lights which appeared to be flashing faster and faster.

"Uh-oh..." he mumbled, panicking as he quickly withdrew his hand from the device. "What'd I do now?"

Suddenly an automatic door slid open beside him, revealing the inside of what appeared to be an elevator, bathed in light.

"Aha!" Zak decided, walking inside the transport. "They must want me to register somewhere first."

Zak waited for a moment as the doors slid shut on him and he began to travel down towards the lower level, looking at his belt and pondering his choice of Pokemon for the match.

"Let's see..." he mused to himself. "What Pokemon do I have that would be strong against Dark-types?"

The young trainer didn't have much time to think as the elevator swiftly arrived at its destination. Zak stepped out of the transport and glanced at his new surroundings.

This room was flooded with a pale blue light and all around were what appeared to be precise, scientific instruments scattered across numerous desks. In terms of width the room was quite humble, though its huge length - enough to match that of a football field - more than made up for this fact. Zak continued to wander through the room admiring the different types of apparatus until he suddenly noticed a group of people all standing in a small clearing beside a large, glass cage and two tall glass tubes, around twelve feet in both height and width. And he knew one of the people...

'Knite!' he gasped in his mind, quickly crouching down behind one of the nearby desks and watching as the group continued their conversation.

"Haha!" a small, old man with a white beard and mustache gloated as he held what appeared to be a strange new Pokeball design in his hands. "So it actually worked! I mean... Of course it worked, haha! This is most exciting!"

"Is everything ready, doctor?" a tall man in a yellow business suit asked as he petted the Persian - a cat-like Pokemon - that lay in his arms.

"Of course, Giovanni, sir." the old man replied, straightening his lab coat as he turned and began to adjust various dials on the large computer terminal which stood beside the glass cages. "Let us release Raikou and restrain it immediately. Butch! Cassidy!"

Immediately two Team Rocket grunts - a male and a female - came rushing over obediently. Zak instantly recognised them as the two Team Rocket agents who had attempted to capture Blackrock back in Union cave.

"Yes, doctor Nanba?" the two agents asked in unison.

"Bring me the bracelet." the doctor ordered impatiently. "Now!"

The two grunts bowed, then rushed back to where they first came. Doctor Nanba looked over towards Knite and Tamara before speaking up.

"You may want to call out your Pokemon to help restrain this thing." he suggested. "I don't want my laboratory ruined."

"That's fine." Knite replied, removing a Pokeball and releasing a small, Ghost-type Pokemon possessing long, flowing grey locks of gaseous hair and two deep, blood-red eyes.

"Huh..." Zak muttered, removing his Pokedex from his pocket and examining the creature's details. "Misdreavus, huh?"

"Misdreavus," Knite began, his eyes locked on the ghost which hovered mere inches from his face. "when Raikou appears I want you to hold it down with a Destiny Bond attack. Whatever you do, do not allow Raikou to break free. Understand?"

Misdreavus nodded obediently.

"Here you go, doctor Nanba, sir!" Butch offered, handing the doctor a large, metal bracelet which bore a striking similarity to what Blackrock had been forced to wear in Union cave.

"Excellent." Nanba chuckled, taking the item and placing the Pokeball inside the large, central glass cage. He turned towards the others one last time before asking: "Ready?"

Everyone in the room save for Butch and Cassidy nodded in response, and so the doctor pushed up the giant lever on the side of the cage, pouring hundreds of volts of purple electricity into the Pokeball which lay inside. After a few moments the ball cracked, spitting out the mighty legendary Pokemon which lay dormant inside.

Raikou roared, angry at its forced imprisonment and by being bombarded by such a huge amount of raw energy. The creature assumed a defensive posture and began to retaliate with its own brand of powerful electricity.

"Now, Knite!" Nanba yelled, throwing the bracelet in his hands over towards the young trainer, who immediately caught the item and dashed straight at Raikou, snapping the collar open in preparation. Within a second the collar had an iron grip around the legendary beast's neck and had already begun draining the creature of its power, forcing it into a state of drowsiness.

"So you see," Knite hissed, walking back towards Giovanni and recalling Misdreavus back into its Pokeball as he did so. "I kept my end of the bargain. Now it's your turn."

"Incredible..." Giovanni chuckled. "Very well. Nanba!"

The doctor turned to face the businessman, eager to hear his orders.

"We have our first test subject." Giovanni explained. "Do you know the Pokemon you wish to use, Knite?"

"I do." Knite responded, removing another Pokeball and releasing the form of his mighty dragon, Charizard. "I do."

"Excellent." Giovanni commented. "Then you know what to do. Take your places inside the tubes."

Knite looked deep into Charizard's large, dark-brown eyes and saw his reflection staring back at him. Charizard was silent, sharing that same determined look that its trainer possessed.

"Knite..." Tamara whispered uncertainly.

"What is going on...?" Zak wondered to himself in a hushed voice as he continued to stare at the scene, hoping to make some kind of sense from it all.

Knite extended his hand to the Fire-type, who in return reached out a claw, which Knite shook firmly.

"Thank you, Charizard." he said simply. "I couldn't have had a better partner."

Charizard snorted its reply, and both human and Pokemon took their respective places in the two glass tubes on either side of the large cage where Raikou lay, unconscious.

"Power readings okay." doctor Nanba declared, tapping away at several keys located on the main computer.

Giovanni watched Knite closely as the boy closed his eyes and relaxed.

"Beginning liquid flooding." Nanba continued.

Butch and Cassidy stared with confusion in their eyes as they saw the two glass tubes slowly fill with a thin, clear fluid which didn't even cause the flame on the end of Charizard's tail to flicker.

"Disengaging safety locks."

Zak squinted, still not entirely sure what was happening.

"Activating countdown timer."

Tamara's eyes wobbled ever-so-slightly, her vision locked on Knite's face, his hair flowing majestically in the clear, still fluid of the glass tube.

"And..." Nanba announced. "BEGIN!!"


	28. Viridian Freeway

Yuki's eyelids trembled as she slowly came back into consciousness. Her head was pounding and her body felt slightly numb. She groaned as she began to sit up, cradling her forehead in her hand as she did so, then looked around the room.

She was in a dark place. It appeared to be a cave from what little light the two small candles gave out, though she couldn't be entirely sure. The entire floor where she lay was covered in silk garments and several small silk banners hung from the ceiling. Yuki immediately recognised the white symbol which was etched on these decorations.

"The..." she muttered with a groan. "The Guardians...?"

"That's right." came the voice of a young man.

Yuki's eyes darted towards the sudden source of light, where she could make out the figure of Rafal as he entered the room, pushing past several silk curtains as he did so.

"You..." Yuki growled, backing away into the nearby corner and reaching for the halberd which she kept at her side. Only this time, there was nothing there.

"What?" Yuki grunted, looking down to her side. Not only had her weapon been removed, but her Pokeballs were nowhere to be seen, either.

"Heh, don't even bother." Rafal replied, grinning as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. "There's no way you can escape."

"What are you doing!?" Yuki hissed, glaring at the man standing before her. "The Guardians died along with my..."

Yuki hesitated for a moment before continuing.

"My mother..."

"You still don't get it, do you?" Rafal scoffed, turning around and exiting the room again.

Yuki paused, watching the man leave with a puzzled expression evident on her face. A few moments passed, then suddenly the curtains were pulled back again, only this time it wasn't Rafal who entered the room...

"Mother!?" Yuki gasped.

Sure enough, there, standing before Yuki, was Velcia, looking as she always did. She was dressed in her usual glamorous robes and had an Alakazam following at her side. She stared down towards Yuki with a hateful glare in her dark, glimmering eyes.

"Mother, you're alive!" Yuki exclaimed, a huge grin spreading across her face as she got to her feet and rushed over to the woman.

As Yuki reached her mother, opening her arms out in an embrace, she felt a swift push to her stomach which sent her tumbling back into the silk garments covering the floor. Yuki scrambled back into a crouching position, staring up at her mother with wide, confused eyes.

"But..." she stammered uneasily. "But why?"

"I should have known your father would give you weak genes." Velcia spat angrily.

"What?" Yuki gasped. "What do you mean by that?"

"Exactly what it sounds like." Velcia continued in that same, venomous tone of voice. "You left your mother for dead and aligned yourself with the enemy. Your brother had his excuses, but you..."

Yuki shuddered as she crawled back towards the corner of the room and away from her advancing mother.

"You I cannot forgive." she growled. "You will learn to respect your mother, and your position within the Guardians. Or else..."

Velcia turned away, pushing the curtains back as she watched her daughter through the corner of her eye.

"You will be removed from the gene pool."

With that, Velcia exited the room, leaving Yuki lying alone in the darkness.

* * *

The deafening sound of engines grinding and machinery whirring filled the underground Team Rocket laboratory. Zak covered his ears, though continued to watch closely at the experiment on both Knite and his Charizard, which had lasted several minutes already.

"What the Hell are you doing to him!?" Tamara screamed, glaring at doctor Nanba who was simply chuckling to himself.

Giovanni remained silent as both he and the Persian in his arms continued to watch the tube which housed the young Pokemon trainer. Both of the tubes on opposite sides of the room were completely filled with a pastel-blue, gaseous substance which had clouded everyone's vision of the inside. It was anyone's guess what was happening right now.

"You son of a bitch!!" Tamara screeched, dashing towards Nanba and the operating computer.

"Guards!" Giovanni called, summoning several large Team Rocket grunts from either side of the machines. The men and women grabbed Tamara, restraining her just before she could reach the control mechanism.

"You're killing him!" Tamara cried as she struggled against the tight grip of the Team Rocket guards who held her back. Tears began to well up in the young girl's eyes as she watched the tube helplessly. "Knite...!"

'I'd hate to agree with her,' Zak thought to himself as he continued to watch the action unfold, being sure to remain effectively hidden at all times. 'but not even Knite deserved to die like this...'

"It's finally coming to an end!" doctor Nanba breathed, grinning wildly as the noise of the machines began to die.

Zak watched and waited for a moment until the machine's engines finally ceased their grinding. There were a few seconds of uneasy silence, when suddenly the sound of hot, leaking gas erupted from both tubes, slowly draining the cages of their liquid contents.

Zak's eyes widened and he began to crane his neck in order to get a better view. He was morbidly fascinated with what he might see, and couldn't help but try and get a better view...

"At last!" Nanba exclaimed, rushing over to Knite's tube and pressing a few keys on the safety lock which was positioned beside it.

The doors of both tubes clicked and opened up, releasing a huge amount of hot steam. Charizard's tube appeared to now be empty, save for a small pile of charred scales and bones, whilst Zak still couldn't see what was happening in Knite's tube.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity for everyone to endure, a figure emerged from the glass container, and Zak gasped upon seeing it. There, standing before all of them, was Knite. But he was not the Knite who everyone once knew. His personal features had remained the same - eyes, hair and face were all intact. However, his frame was now much more muscular and his body was over seven feet in height. Sprouting from his back were a pair of huge, leathery wings which seemed to coil and uncoil every few seconds, and his entire body was now coloured with a dark, burnt-orange hue.

"Knite!" Tamara called, her tears beginning to subside as she managed a smile. "You're... You're okay?"

Knite simply grinned, stretching as he turned to face the girl. His clothing and armour was now torn in various places and struggled to keep his powerful body contained.

"I'm more than okay..." Knite chuckled. Zak was surprised - his voice seemed the same in overall tone and pitch. "I am... EVOLVED..."

Knite began to circle the laboratory, admiring his new, clawed hands and feet. Zak simply stared wide-eyed at the boy.

"So the experiment was a success!" Nanba cackled. "Perfect, perfect! The first ever combining of human and Pokemon DNA!"

"Then it's time for you to finish the job." Giovanni said, turning to Knite. "There are other legendary Pokemon out there, and as you know our contract includes you capturing all those native to Kanto and Johto."

"Of course, Giovanni, of course." Knite replied arrogantly, turning back to face the Team Rocket boss. "And I think I know which Pokemon you wish to see first..."

Giovanni chuckled at this.

"You've certainly done your homework, Knite." he answered.

"I always do." Knite returned. "Yes, I've always been fascinated by that rumour of the man-made Pokemon - a Pokemon born of both science and legend."

"Then I look forward to seeing you bring Mewtwo back to me." Giovanni said sternly. "Do not disappoint me."

Zak watched closely as the team standing in front of him began to disperse amongst the laboratory and Knite proceeded towards the elevator with Giovanni and Tamara. The young trainer began to slowly creep away from the main centre of the room, trying to find a flight of stairs, when suddenly...

His Pokegear began to ring.

Immediately the eyes of everyone in the room were on him. There was a moment of nerve-wracking uneasiness as everyone considered their potential actions.

"Ah..." Knite muttered, smiling as he stepped out of the elevator and towards the intruder. "Vangard. A perfect opportunity to test out my new power..."

Zak watched the boy cautiously for a moment, then fixed his gaze on the elevator and immediately began to run.

"Hahaha!" Knite's laughter filled the room. "Come on, Vangard! I'll even fight you with my bare hands!"

Zak attempted to drown out the sound of Knite's voice as he continued to dash towards the elevator, hoping he could find some means of escape. He was aware of the many eyes all completely fixed on him, trying to prevent him from running away, and this simply added to the pressure as his heart began to beat faster and faster.

"Crap..." Zak whispered under his breath, realising that the elevator was filled and the entirety of the room was beginning to close in around him.

"Come now, Vangard." Knite sniggered, moving closer and closer, his feet pounding against the metal tiles of the floor with every step. "You and I require a rematch. Just you and me."

Knite paused, then began laughing.

"Well, perhaps I should say you and us!" he concluded.

Zak's eyes narrowed in confusion as he backed himself against the nearby wall, stealthily moving his fingers along the back of his belt, hunting for the right Pokeball.

"Heh," Knite hissed. "I can see you're confused, so allow me to enlighten you."

"I'm listening." Zak growled, refusing to show the boy how terrified he currently was. To Zak, Knite was now a monster, and that monster was mere feet away from him, quite literally baring its fangs.

"Charizard and I have been bound together." Knite explained calmly. "We are now no longer separate; we are one. I can see Charizard's memories, feel his emotions, understand his instincts, and he mine."

Zak swallowed, feeling the curve of a Pokeball against the palm of his hand as he enlarged the device behind his back, making sure he didn't draw anyone's attention to his plan.

"I am now," Knite continued, grinning. "the perfect being. I am faster, stronger, and more ruthless than ever before."

"You're insane is what you are." Zak spat in defiance, then threw down the Pokeball in his hand, filling the dark laboratory in a bright, white light. "Epsilon, I choose you!"

The shape of Zak's Unown appeared as the light began to fade and spun its body in midair playfully. It then turned to look at Zak, curious as to what its instructions were.

'I really hope this works...' Zak thought to himself.

"Epsilon!" he commanded. "Teleport us out of here right now!"

"Not so fast!" Knite shrieked, clasping his palms together and charging an intense flame in-between his hands before sending it flying towards Zak and his Pokemon.

"Hurry!" Zak insisted.

Epsilon nodded, then began to spin rapidly until both it and Zak were engulfed in a blinding white light, and within the blink of an eye they were gone.

"Dammit!" Knite shouted in frustration, punching the wall and causing several large cracks to appear around the point of impact.

"This isn't what I expected of you, Knite." Giovanni said simply.

Knite turned angrily towards the man and began to head towards the elevator once again.

"I'll kill him." he hissed. "I'll kill him slowly."

"Remember your contract, Knite." Giovanni reminded the boy. "I refuse to wait for my legendary Pokemon whilst you settle some personal vendetta."

"This is a question of honour, Giovanni!" Knite growled. "He has not only defiled me, but Team Rocket itself by being here!"

"Let me take care of Vangard." Tamara suggested. "Knite, you're the only one who can capture Mewtwo."

"Fine." Knite grudgingly accepted, hitting the elevator button and causing the doors to slide shut around them.

* * *

"Gah!" Zak yelled as he fell several feet, colliding into the large dumpster beside the Viridian Gym.

Epsilon floated down close to its trainer with an apologetic look in its eye. Zak groaned, getting to his feet and then jumping down onto the solid concrete below, being sure to remove any excess banana peels or egg shells which were sticking to his shirt.

"Good job, Epsilon." Zak congratulated the Pokemon. "Next time just try to land me a little closer to the ground though, okay?"

Epsilon nodded, then faded into red light as Zak recalled the creature into its Pokeball.

Zak paused for a moment, considering his next action. He still couldn't quite believe what he had seen - it was as if Knite and Charizard had become one. But that wasn't even in the realms of scientific possibility... Was it?

As Zak continued to ponder this thought, he heard the ringing sound of the Pokegear on his wrist. He flipped open the device and saw the name of the caller - Zeni.

"Hey, Zak." Zeni's voice spoke up. "Why didn't you answer your Pokegear earlier?"

"Dammit, Zeni!!" Zak shouted into the device's microphone in anger. "Thanks for almost getting me killed!"

There was a long pause.

"...Huh?" came Zeni's response.

Zak sighed loudly, then peered up into the sky, hearing the beating sound of a large pair of wings. It almost sounded like a Dragon-type Pokemon, but it wasn't. Instead, Zak could make out the figure of what he knew to be Knite, who was heading north, away from the Viridian Gym. To the casual eye it was simply an unusual Pokemon, but Zak knew differently - there was something about the way that creature moved. An arrogant, yet deadly elegance about it.

"Listen, Zeni," Zak resumed the conversation in a hurried, urgent voice. "call my Dad and tell him to bring everyone to the Viridian Gym. It's Team Rocket's secret headquarters. And tell them to hurry!"

"Okay, okay!" Zeni replied, sounding more than a little confused by the sudden bizarre instructions. "Uh, are you gonna be waiting for us then?"

"I've found Knite," Zak explained as he began to dash through the city's alleyways, following the course of the flying creature. "and I'm gonna try and follow him. He's talking about capturing all the legendary Pokemon in Kanto and Johto for Team Rocket or something like that."

"Well, uh, you should wait for us or something!" Zeni protested. "You can't take on Knite by yourself! You'll get creamed!"

"Goodbye Zeni." Zak answered, switching off the Pokegear.

Zak came to the end of another alleyway, then skidded to a halt. Knite was moving quickly, and if Zak didn't find some faster means of transportation, then he would soon lose sight of the boy.

Zak's eyes darted around the streets, until he finally spotted several motorcycles parked against a nearby wall. He had no time to think, and instead he simply acted. Shuffling closer to the vehicles Zak examined each bike carefully until he found the one he most liked the look of.

It was a beautiful machine. Coloured in a dark, silvery coat of paint which resembled the look and feel of finely aged chrome, the body possessed sharp, defined curves and there were two exhausts on either side of the rear wheel. The mirrors curved out like an extension to the bike's front plate and the seat was positioned at the perfect height. This was the one he needed.

Zak quietly removed a Pokeball from his belt, releasing the creature inside. Once again Epsilon appeared, eying its trainer curiously.

"Okay, Epsilon," Zak explained. "I want you to use a jolt of psychic energy to kick-start this bike's engine."

Epsilon tilted to its side, a bodily expression which Zak had come to associate with confusion.

"Don't look at me like that!" Zak exclaimed. "Look, we don't have much time - Knite's gonna be out of view any minute now and I have no flying Pokemon! It's not stealing, it's..."

Zak considered his words for a moment.

"Borrowing." he concluded. "And come on, we can't let those legendary Pokemon fall into the wrong hands, right?"

Epsilon nodded, then closed its eyes, focusing entirely on the motorcycle's ignition. Zak watched the bike closely as several small, purple-coloured sparks began to flow into the key slot, as if they had been drawn there by a precise magnet. The machine began to rumble, then growled, then finally the engine kicked in.

"Alright!" Zak exclaimed. "Good job, buddy."

Zak eagerly climbed onto the bike and began to rev the engine, experimenting with the machine's controls. He had never driven anything before, but how hard could it be?

Suddenly the engine died.

'Obviously pretty hard...' Zak thought to himself, then turned back to look at Epsilon.

"Uh, can we try that again?" he asked sheepishly.

Epsilon appeared to laugh, though it did comply with the human's orders, sending more sparks into the machine's ignition until the engine finally reawakened.

"Alright!" Zak chuckled. "Let's try this again!"

The engine hummed perfectly in synch to Zak's feet as he pressed down on the pedals and rotated the handlebars. He felt bad about taking the bike, but he had to make an impulse decision, and he had a horrible feeling that the fate of the world could well depend on whether or not he caught up with Knite. Bearing these thoughts in mind, he felt he was doing the right thing, despite how it might appear to passers by.

Zak looked up towards the sky, where the huge, towering skyscrapers had blocked any chance of spotting Knite.

'Let's see...' Zak pondered, reversing the bike and moving it towards the side of the road. 'He was traveling north... I'd better find the freeway. That'll be my best bet to catch up to him.'

"Okay, Epsilon." Zak began, turning to the Psychic-type that was hovering beside his head. "I'll be needing you to monitor this thing's engine. If it feels like it's going to shut down, then your job is to stop that from happening. Think you can keep up?"

Epsilon nodded, clearly excited by the challenge.

"Alright," Zak said, revving his engine and taking the bike onto the road. "then let's do this."

"Hey, stop right there!" the voice of Tamara rang out from behind the boy.

Zak immediately looked over his shoulder, seeing the girl giving chase.

"Crap!" he muttered, shifting gears and zigzagging in-between traffic as he approached the entrance to the Viridian freeway.

"Dammit!" Tamara cursed, then threw down a Pokeball. "Salamence, come on out!"

The form of the giant, blue dragon appeared before the girl in a haze of light. Tamara hurriedly climbed onto the creature's back and began to give chase from the air as Zak merged onto the high-speed freeway, weaving in and out of traffic.

"That damn kid..." Tamara growled as she watched from overhead, following the boy's course. "I can't get a clean hit on him without hurting anyone else."

Zak made sure to keep an eye on Knite at all times as he sped down the freeway, passing cars and trucks from all sides. Though he was intent on catching up with Zak and was well aware of Tamara chasing him from the skies, he felt excited. If only Whitney could see him now!

After several minutes of traveling with Epsilon at his side, Zak noticed that the freeway had begun to curve out towards the northeast - exactly where he didn't want to go. They had exited the city miles ago and were now heading into open Kanto countryside - he had to find an exit ramp.

"Dammit!" he cursed underneath his breath. He had become so focused on catching up with Knite that he had forgotten all about Tamara, who was continuing to give chase high in the air above.

"Perfect, he's exiting the freeway." Tamara noted, smiling. "He's a sitting duck..."

The girl then pointed down towards the exit ramp where Zak was driving. He was now clear of thick traffic and attacking him would prove easy for Tamara's Dragon-type Pokemon.

"Now, Salamence!" she ordered. "Use Hyper Beam on that bike!"

Salamence roared loudly, forming a beam of bright orange energy in its mouth and unleashing its full ferociousness upon the road below. By the time Zak noticed the attack raining down on him it was too late - all he could do was turn the bike away from the blast as best he could.

The Hyper Beam tore through the asphalt of the ramp like scissors flying through soft paper. Large slabs of concrete flew up several feet into the air and rained down upon the entirety of the exit ramp, completely destroying the road and turning the surrounding area into a wasteland of debris and rubble. Zak let out a cry as he turned violently away from the blast and tumbled with the bike off the side of the road.

Tamara watched the carnage from above, then proceeded to swoop down, hopping off Salamence's back and landing on the soft grass just below the exit ramp. The entire field that surrounded them was covered with smoldering concrete and rubble, and a crowd of spectators from the freeway had quickly amassed.

"Ugh..." Zak groaned, cradling his head in his hand as he shakily got to his feet. His shirt was torn and he had several cuts on his body which were leaking blood at a slow but steady rate.

Epsilon hovered down towards its trainer, concern obvious in its eye.

"Heh," Zak chuckled, petting the creature gently. "I'm fine, Epsilon." He craned his neck over towards the motorcycle which lay on its side a few feet away. "Wish I could say the same about the bike, though..."

"Sorry, Zak," Tamara called over towards the boy, trying her best not to have her voice drowned out by the noise of the freeway's traffic. "but I can't let you interfere with Knite's mission."

"Huh." Zak mused in reply. "It's gonna take a lot more than that to stop me, Tamara. And you know it."

As he spoke, Zak wiped the blood from his jaw and smiled.

"Fine." Tamara hissed. "We'll see how cocky you are after you lose this battle."

Tamara turned to her Pokemon, pointing towards Zak as she did so.

"Salamence!" she commanded. "Dragonbreath!"

"Epsilon!" Zak ordered. "Hidden Power!"

The gigantic creature known as Salamence let out an earth-shaking roar as it loosed a stream of intensely hot, green fire from its mouth. This attack was met by the power of Epsilon's psychic blasts which collided in a blur of purple, yellow and green. Smoke covered the vast area as the attacks cancelled each other out and both Tamara and Zak stared each other down from opposite ends of the field.

"This'll be interesting..." Zak commented, licking his lips in anticipation of a great battle.

"My thoughts exactly..." Tamara replied, her face showing a much more serious expression.


	29. Zak vs Tamara! Battle of Endurance!

The wind caused by the power of the previous attack rushed past the two trainers as they stared each other down on the field, willing the other to make a move. Salamence growled deeply whilst Epsilon hovered silently in the air, awaiting its mistress' next order. Tamara brushed a few stray strands of hair out of her face, then pointed directly towards Zak's Unown once again.

"Salamence!" she commanded. "Close in using Dragonbreath!"

"Psywave, Epsilon!" Zak returned. "Aim for its head!"

Salamence flew towards the Unown at tremendous speed, spewing out hot, green flames from its mouth as it went. Unown hurriedly moved out of the way, focusing all its energy into a psychic attack which blasted directly into the creature's head. The dragon flinched in pain, but continued the assault, moving forward and chasing the smaller Pokemon closely.

"Now use Dragonclaw!" Tamara demanded.

Salamence let out a blood-curdling roar, then proceeded to swipe at the Psychic-type with it's sharp, vicious talons. Epsilon struggled to dodge each attack, using both quick agility and sudden teleports to escape the dragon's onslaught.

"Epsilon!" Zak called over to his Pokemon as it continued to try and maneuvre itself around Salamence's attacks. "Teleport behind it, then use Hidden Power!"

Epsilon immediately shifted into a beam of light, reemerging behind Salamence before blasting it with a well-placed Hidden Power attack. The orbs of yellow light flowed like sparks around the gigantic creature, which roared in agony as it attempted to swipe Epsilon with its tail.

"Huh," Tamara commented. "you've trained that thing well. But no matter how fast your Unown may be, it can't keep this pace up forever. And Salamence has more than enough defensive abilities to outlast both you and your Pokemon. Why don't you just surrender now?"

"Not while that crazy bastard's running around!" Zak yelled back. "Epsilon, Teleport above Salamence, then use Psywave again!"

Once again Epsilon flickered into the form of white light, only to reappear directly above Salamence. The Unown began to charge a second beam of psychic energy as it targeted the dragon below.

"Now, Salamence!" Tamara shouted. "Use Crunch on that thing!"

Salamence roared loudly, causing ripples in the air around the Unown as it flew up and gripped the target in its powerful jaws, the bone of its teeth grinding down against Epsilon's body.

"No, Epsilon!" Zak cried, readying a Great ball in his hand. He could hear the telepathic squeals of his Pokemon shoot through his mind as he watched Salamence continue its ferocious assault on the creature. "Return!"

Epsilon was returned to the form of faded red light as Zak recalled the creature into its Pokeball. Growling to himself, his fingers danced along the leather of his belt, searching for his next competitor.

'Damn,' Zak thought to himself as he watched Tamara staring over at him, her expression serious and to the point. 'her Salamence is tough. I'm going to have to take it down quickly.'

"Scizor," he called, throwing a second Great ball down onto the grassy field before Tamara's Dragon-type Pokemon. "I choose you!"

From the bright lights of the Great ball's release mechanism appeared the figure of Scizor, who landed nimbly on his feet, glancing towards Tamara's Salamence with a very unimpressed look on his face. Salamence snorted and turned to face the Steel-type, as if it could understand and respect the Pokemon's power before they even began to battle.

"How predictable." Tamara noted from her side of the field, much to Zak's anger. "Reading your battle tactics is like reading an open book."

"We'll see!" Zak hissed back, clenching his fist. "Scizor, use-"

"You're not going to be able to finish this battle quickly, Zak." Tamara interrupted, brushing her hair back idly as she spoke. "You've used up your trump card far too soon to be able to win this."

"Huh?" Zak mumbled in reply. He looked over towards Scizor and Salamence who continued to stare each other down, patiently awaiting their orders.

'How did she know my strategy...?' Zak wondered to himself. 'Whatever, it hasn't let me down yet - she's just trying to psych me out.'

"Scizor!" Zak resumed his orders, pointing towards the large dragon in front of him. "Jump up and use Metal Claw!"

"So predictable..." Tamara smirked, then looked up towards her Pokemon. "Salamence, deflect that attack with your tail!"

Scizor glanced up towards the giant creature which towered above him. After quickly examining his opponent, the Steel-type then leapt several feet into the air, sending a swift uppercut with his right claw towards the opponent's jaw. Just before making contact, however, Salamence's tail swung into Scizor's body, sending the creature skidding back into the ground. Scizor flinched for a second, then leapt back onto his feet, his eyes narrowing on his target.

"I underestimated him..." the creature admitted under his breath.

"What?" Tamara backtracked, not sure if she heard correctly. "Can that Scizor... Talk?"

"Very well..." Scizor chuckled in a metallic voice. "Then I shall not make the same mistake twice."

"Scizor!" Zak called over to his Pokemon. "Use Double Team to get behind Salamence!"

Scizor leapt from the ground in what appeared to be all directions, as several images of the creature became visible, chasing to and from Salamence in what looked like a blur of steel against the blue sky. Salamence attempted to claw at these images, but this proved useless and within a matter of moments Scizor was behind the creature.

"Now use Seismic Toss!" Zak ordered.

Scizor nodded, then grabbed the dragon's tail and proceeded to effortlessly spin the creature around and around before throwing it straight into the hard earth of the field. Salamence growled in pain, then began to slowly advance on its opponent once again, a large crater now evident in the ground.

'Dammit...' Tamara thought to herself angrily. 'This Scizor is a damn pain in the ass. I've got to take it down quickly...'

"Salamence!" the girl commanded. "Fly up into the air!"

"Chase after it, Scizor!" Zak exclaimed.

Salamence lifted itself up into the air, the loud beats of its huge wings drowning out the noise of the busy freeway nearby. Scizor immediately began to give chase, making sure he kept his distance just in case Salamence attempted another attack at close range.

"Salamence, use Wing Attack!" Tamara continued.

Salamence roared, then suddenly shot towards Scizor at an incredible speed, slamming the hard edges of its wings into the Steel-type Pokemon.

"Now follow up with Hyper Beam!" Tamara yelled.

Scizor flinched as he felt the impact of Salamence's wings crashing into his body. As he began to fight off the drowsiness the attack had brought to him, he noticed Salamence charging a sphere of bright orange power directly in front of him, and immediately knew it was a Hyper Beam.

"Use Double Team!!" Zak cried just as Salamence unleashed his attack into a beam which shot towards its opponent at an incredible speed.

Just as Salamence's Hyper Beam met with Scizor's body, two other shadows that resembled the figure of Scizor leapt to the sides and delivered a swift kick to the dragon's stomach. Salamence roared in pain, lashing its tail frantically towards the enemy but failing to connect.

"Now use Seismic Toss!" Zak instructed.

Scizor gripped the tail of the Dragon-type, spinning the huge creature around in midair and steadily building up speed before throwing it down towards the hard ground below.

"Now use Hyper Beam!" Zak commanded.

"No!" Tamara called. "Salamence, evade it!"

Scizor clasped his hands together and began to focus carefully on his target. He could soon feel an intense heat in his palms, causing both of his hands to glow a bright red until he gradually pulled them away from each other, revealing a sphere of orange light that hovered between them. Scizor then pointed his palms directly down towards the dragon which was plummeting to earth, unleashing a powerful beam of energy that collided with the creature's stomach, sending Salamence crashing into the ground, unconscious.

Tamara shielded her eyes from the dust and debris that had been kicked up by the miniature earthquake caused by Salamence's landing. The female trainer gritted her teeth as she considered her next move. She had to eliminate Scizor right now if she were to stand a chance against the rest of Zak's Pokemon.

"Seviper," she announced, hurling a second Pokeball towards her opponent. "I choose you!"

The shower of lights faded away as the form of Tamara's snake-like Pokemon appeared on the battlefield, hissing and rattling its purple, spearheaded tail at the Scizor opposite.

"Seviper?" Zak questioned to himself, opening up his Pokedex and pointing it at the strange creature.

"Seviper," the Pokedex spoke up in its typically monotone voice. "the poison tail Pokemon. This Pokemon's sword-shaped tail oozes a horrific poison."

"Huh, well..." Zak mumbled to himself, returning the device to his belt. "A Poison-type against a Steel-type is at a major disadvantage... Let's go, Scizor! Metal Claw!"

Scizor dashed towards his new opponent, claws at the ready as he traced elegantly above the tall blades of unkempt grass below. He raised his right hand, preparing a strike, when suddenly...

"Haze, Seviper!" Tamara commanded.

"Sev!" the snake Pokemon hissed back, spewing forth a black, toxic cloud of gas which quickly covered the two Pokemon and their surrounding area. "Seviper!!"

Zak began to panic as he watched the cloud envelop the Steel-type completely in the distance.

"Scizor, get out of there!" he cried. "Jump up into the sky!"

"Not so fast." Tamara commented. "Seviper, Crunch, now!"

Scizor leapt directly up into the air, only to feel the sharp, red fangs of Tamara's Seviper clamp into his lower right leg. Normally such an attack would have little effect on the Steel-type, but this Seviper was clearly very well trained, and Scizor could already begin to feel the powerful venom of the snake pouring into the soft flesh beneath the creature's metal exterior.

Zak watched helplessly as he saw Scizor flinching, though the Steel-type did his best to make it look like nothing serious had happened. Scizor hurriedly kicked Seviper away, sending the creature plummeting towards the ground and then proceeded to ascend higher into the sky. Seviper landed elegantly on the grassy field, using its tail as a handy pivot for balancing as it continued to eye the Pokemon circling above.

"Good job, Scizor!" Zak encouraged his Pokemon loudly. "There's no way Seviper's gonna be able to attack you up there!"

Tamara smiled to herself, removing a strand of her fine, red hair from her forehead.

"Oh really?" she whispered confidently. "Seviper! Flamethrower!"

"Seviper!!" the snake hissed, spewing forth a powerful torrent of intense fire from its mouth. The stream of heat blasted its way up towards Scizor, who narrowly dodged to the side.

"What the Hell!?" Zak gasped. "That's impossible!"

"I would've thought you of all people understood the importance of teaching your Pokemon a few speciality moves." Tamara replied.

Zak stared up at Scizor, who was breathing heavily - the poison from Seviper's earlier Crunch attack was clearly beginning to take its toll on the Steel-type.

'That's some effective poison...' Zak thought to himself, worry clouding his mind. 'But what can I do? It's just gonna get worse as time goes on... I have to finish this now!'

"Scizor!" Zak began, pointing towards Seviper. "Dive down and use Fury Cutter!"

Scizor nodded, taking a preparatory breath before descending down on his opponent with all of his might, claws at the ready.

"Seviper, Flamethrower again!" Tamara ordered.

"Now fly over Seviper!" Zak called just as Tamara issued her command.

Scizor immediately reacted to Zak's orders, swooping just above the Poison-type as it loosed another stream of fire at the oncoming target.

"What!?" Tamara stammered, watching as Scizor turned around, ready to strike the unprotected snake from behind.

"Now a roundhouse kick!" Zak suggested.

Scizor smiled - the kid had talent after all.

Scizor obeyed, spinning on the spot and sending a powerful metal foot into the back of Seviper. Seviper let out a hiss of pain, then skidded across the battlefield, trying in vain to regain control of its body. Scizor placed both feet onto solid ground and attempted to ignore the pain of the venom now coursing through his veins.

"Seviper," Tamara resumed the battle, her expression regaining its former composure. "spring on your tail, then strike with Poisontail!"

"Viper!" the snake cried, flipping forward on its tail and then bouncing off the ground, its spear-tipped tail pointing directly at the enemy as it flew at a surprising speed.

"Metal Claw into Seismic Toss!" Zak commanded.

Again Scizor let a comfortable smile form on his lips as he twisted his metal body in preparation for his counterattack. Seviper was hurtling towards him, moving faster and faster until it finally came into range. Scizor then clamped his right claw down around the snake's body with unerring precision and proceeded to spin Seviper around as if it weighed nothing. Seviper hissed in rage until finally the Steel-type slammed the creature against the concrete of the side of the freeway several yards away. Seviper slumped to the ground, unconscious.

"Alright!" Zak cheered, punching the air with confidence. He glanced over to Scizor, who continued to breathe heavily, though the Pokemon did its best to try and hide this from the trainer. Behind him, Zak could hear the crowd of spectators standing on the edge of the freeway cheering for him as the battle continued.

Tamara gritted her teeth as she recalled Seviper back into its Pokeball, and prepared a third Pokemon to enter the battle.

'I've got to be careful,' the girl thought to herself, staring at her latest choice of Pokeball which lay in her palm. 'Zak isn't the type to make clumsy mistakes.'

"Alright, Zak." Tamara began. "Let's see how you handle this! Go, Solrock!"

Tamara threw down her third Pokeball, unleashing the large form of the Rock-type Pokemon, Solrock. Zak stared at the creature for a moment before flipping open his Pokedex and examining the Pokemon's vital statistics on the device.

"Huh..." Zak mused quietly to himself as he glanced at the strange Rock-type hovering before him. "She's got Pokemon I've never even heard of before..."

Solrock looked almost like a miniature sun - primarily spherical in shape, it also possessed several long spines of rock which protruded from every direction on its body. It floated several feet above the ground and the only distinguishing feature on its bright orange body was a pair of large, black eyes which seemed to go on into infinity.

"Scizor, keep your guard up!" Zak called over to his Pokemon, who continued to breathe heavily, obviously exhausted.

"Fine, then we'll take the initiative." Tamara declared, pointing towards Scizor. "Solrock, use Sunny Day!"

Solrock silently acknowledged its command, closing its eyes tightly. Zak watched the creature in confusion, not entirely sure what was happening.

"Zak, be careful!" Scizor panted, prompting Zak to turn towards his Pokemon and listen carefully. Zak knew that Scizor was wise, and so he was more than willing to accept advice from him. "Sunny Day increases the power of Fire-type moves!"

Sure enough, the clouds in the sky began to recede and the bright blue sky became clearly visible. Zak could feel the warmth of the sun gradually increasing in temperature against his skin.

"Fire-type moves...?" Zak wondered out loud. "But... That doesn't make sense. Solrock is a Rock-type Pokemon..."

"Solrock, Flamethrower!" Tamara interrupted.

Solrock roared loudly in a mysterious voice before the rocky spines on its body began to glow red-hot. The creature then proceeded to spin in midair, its spines generating powerful flames which surrounded the Pokemon's body before shooting towards Scizor.

"Scizor, dodge that!" Zak ordered.

Scizor immediately leapt up into the air, his steel wings beating faster and faster as he tried desperately to avoid the Solrock's chasing Flamethrower. There was no doubt about it - Scizor was slowing down.

"Scizor, return!" Zak announced, grabbing the Great ball that was attached to his belt.

"No!" Scizor growled back.

"Huh?" Zak murmured, though quickly regained his composure. "Scizor, you can't keep up this pace!"

"I can..." Scizor breathed. "I can fight this!"

"Solrock, use Flamethrower again!" Tamara continued her assault on Zak's Pokemon.

"Dammit!" Zak cursed. "Scizor, turn and fly above Solrock!"

Scizor turned in midair, then swooped down towards Solrock, narrowly avoiding the powerful blast of the creature's Flamethrower.

"Now try a roundhouse kick!" Zak exclaimed.

"Solarbeam, Solrock!" Tamara cried. "Full power!!"

Just as Scizor turned to send a kick directly into the back of Solrock's body, his eyes widened and he watched helplessly as a blast of pure solar energy was shot towards him at pointblank range.

"No..." Scizor whispered.

The yellow ray of light crashed into Scizor's metal stomach with tremendous force, sending the Steel-type high up into the air and then allowing gravity to slam the creature into the ground several yards in front of Zak. Scizor squinted up towards the Solrock which hovered several feet away and reached out with his right claw determinedly before passing out. Slowly Scizor's body became a figure of faded red light as Zak recalled the creature into the Great ball in his hand.

"Good job, Scizor." Zak congratulated his Pokemon in a hushed voice. "Though you're way too stubborn for your own good sometimes..."

The boy looked up towards Tamara from across the battlefield, his eyes narrowing. Both battlers were down to their third Pokemon, and Zak was more than aware that he had to make every move count.

"I choose you," he announced, throwing down a Pokeball towards Solrock. "Nidoqueen!!"

The white light of the Pokeball dispersed after a brief flash, leaving only the huge form of Zak's Nidoqueen standing on the battlefield, glaring down at Solrock with a determined look in her eyes.

"Poor move, Zak." Tamara commented. "Nidoqueen may have the advantage on type, but you've just used up your two most powerful Pokemon far too early."

"We'll see about that." Zak growled back. "Nidoqueen, Ice Beam on Solrock, now!"

Nidoqueen let out a thunderous roar before spewing forth a beam of ice from her mouth which hurtled towards her levitating, Rock-type opponent. Tamara simply allowed Solrock to float there, waiting for the oncoming attack with an almost arrogant patience.

"Flamethrower, Solrock!" she ordered. "Full power!"

Solrock instantly blasted out a beam of flames which effortlessly engulfed the approaching Ice Beam. Within moments both attacks had cancelled each other out and the two opposing Pokemon were left on either side of the battlefield, staring each other down.

"Fine!" Zak decided out loud as he determinedly punched the air with his fist. "Nidoqueen, close in on Solrock!"

'Huh,' Tamara thought to herself, watching the gigantic Ground-type charge towards her own Pokemon. 'he's lost it. It took longer to bluff him into a losing position than I thought.'

"Solrock, Solar Beam!" the girl instructed.

Solrock obeyed its trainer, quickly absorbing as much of the intense sunlight as possible before launching the collected energy into a tightly focused beam of light which shot straight towards the oncoming Nidoqueen.

"Now use Ice Punch on the ground!" Zak yelled.

"Wha!?" Tamara gasped, shocked by Zak's sudden change of plans.

Nidoqueen slammed her right fist down onto the grass of the battlefield, generating enormous tremors which spread out like waves against a sandy shore. These waves quickly rose up from the ground, forming huge plates of ice which provided a useful defence for Nidoqueen as she resumed her charge. Solrock's Solar Beam attack crashed into the first plate of ice which acted like a mirror, projecting the beam right back towards its creator. Solrock was unable to dodge this sudden turn of events and the Solar Beam quickly smashed into the Rock-type with devastating results.

"Ugh," Tamara hissed underneath her breath. "I got careless..."

Before Solrock could recover from the powerful sting of its own Solar Beam, Nidoqueen appeared before it, slamming another Ice Punch directly into the creature. The force of Nidoqueen's attack pushed Solrock hard into the ground, where the creature quickly fell unconscious.

"You didn't think I'd forget about that Sunny Day you used earlier, did you?" Zak asked, smiling to himself. "Everybody knows Solar Beam doesn't need charging on such a hot day."

"Don't get too comfortable, Zak!" Tamara growled back, removing another Pokeball from her belt. "Go, Starmie!"

Tamara's fourth Pokeball quickly split apart upon reaching the ground, unleashing Starmie onto the battlefield. Zak made sure to remove his Pokedex once again, checking the vital statistics of his new opponent.

Starmie was quite clearly a Water-type, with several large spines covering its purple, star-shaped body and one bright, red gem buried in its centre which glittered proudly in the sun.

"Starmie," Tamara began, pointing towards Nidoqueen. "Hydro Pump, now!"

Starmie acknowledged the orders of its trainer and quickly leapt towards Nidoqueen, steadily gaining ground as Nidoqueen retreated behind the plates of ice she had formed earlier. As soon as Nidoqueen was in range Starmie projected a powerful stream of water towards the enemy which collided with Nidoqueen's crystalline defences, shattering the shields of ice which lay across the field. Nidoqueen dived for cover as Starmie's assault continued, shards of ice covering the sky.

"Nidoqueen!" Zak called. "Counter with Earthquake!"

Nidoqueen roared with confidence, stamping heavily on the dry, cracked earth and sending ripples of power beneath the ground. These tremors quickly spread away from the Ground-type and began to shake the entire battlefield with a gradually increasing intensity.

"Starmie!" Tamara quickly changed her strategy. "Jump up and use Rapid Spin on Nidoqueen!"

Starmie hurriedly obeyed its trainer, leaping away from Nidoqueen's Earthquake and propelling itself at great speed toward its opponent. With tremendous force the Water-type slammed its jagged spines into Nidoqueen's chest, pushing the Pokemon further and further back and causing the Earthquake to slowly subside.

"Now follow up with Ice Beam!" Tamara continued.

Starmie suddenly leapt away from its opponent, pointing the bright, red gem in the centre of its body down towards Nidoqueen before blasting the creature with a beam of painfully frigid cold. Nidoqueen admirably fought through the pain and began to step closer to its target, waiting for the right moment to strike.

"Now, Nidoqueen!" Zak shouted. "Hyper Beam!!"

Nidoqueen began to charge its most powerful attack, a sphere of bright orange energy forming inside her throat as Starmie continued its relentless attack, showing no signs of stopping.

Finally Nidoqueen's Hyper Beam had gathered enough energy, and Zak's Pokemon wasted no time in utilising it. Nidoqueen stared straight up at Starmie, flinching at the pain of the Ice Beam before launching her own powerful attack directly into the gem on Starmie's body. Starmie was sent spinning into the air, its attack ceasing immediately as it crashed into the ground, its bright red gem now nothing more than a collection of dull, jagged shards. Nidoqueen let out one final groan of pain before falling to the ground, unconscious.

'Damn it.' Tamara cursed in her mind. 'Zak's better than I first thought. I can't rely on him making any mistakes...'

Both trainers recalled their Pokemon, then selected their next combatants. Zak's Pokeball revealed his Magmar, Torch, whilst Tamara's choice was a strange, shelled Pokemon known as Shuckle.

"This girl has a tonne of weird Pokemon..." Zak noted under his breath as he scanned through the entries on his Pokedex, trying to identify the creature which stood before him.

Shuckle was a yellow, worm-like creature which lived inside a huge, thick shell. All along its hard, armour-like casing were several holes which the Pokemon would often peer out of before quickly retracting, almost as if it were too shy to enjoy being seen. Zak watched the creature closely before making his first move.

"Okay, Torch!" he called over. "Blast that thing with a Firespin!"

Torch nodded, then breathed out a veil of flames which quickly surrounded and engulfed Tamara's Shuckle, creating a huge fire in the centre of the field. Zak watched the scene and smiled, confident in Torch's ability. Shuckle didn't appear to be the fastest Pokemon around.

Tamara simply smiled as she watched the scene unfold.

'Perfect...' she thought to herself.

Eventually Torch's attack came to an end and the smoke began to lift away from the target. Much to both Zak and Torch's surprise, Shuckle continued to stand there, its shell slightly singed, but aside from that it had suffered no discernible damage.

"Argh," Zak groaned. "so that's why it doesn't have any speed. It doesn't even need it!"

"Shuckle," Tamara announced in her usual, calm voice. "Dig, now!"

Shuckle squeaked its acceptance of the girl's orders, then burrowed with surprising speed into the soft ground beneath where it stood. Both Zak and Torch stared at the ground nervously, wondering where the creature would strike from.

'Damn,' Zak's mind spoke up as his concern for his Pokemon took over. 'Torch is weak to Ground-type attacks and he can't escape up into the air. And it looks like fire isn't going to do a thing to Shuckle...'

Suddenly Torch felt a rumbling beneath its feet, then was sent flying up into air by the force of Shuckle rising from the ground like a bullet. Torch flailed its arms, trying in vain to slow its descent to earth until finally the Fire-type crashed back down onto the battlefield.

"Torch, return!" Zak ordered, pointing his Pokeball towards the Magmar.

"Not so fast!" Tamara countered. "Shuckle, follow up with Wrap, then dive back into the ground!"

Just before the beam of Zak's Pokeball could return Torch to safety, Shuckle unleashed a mass of tentacles which wrapped and bound the Magmar in a tight, vice-like grip before pulling it down with Shuckle into the darkness of the underground tunnel Tamara's Pokemon had just created.

"Dammit!" Zak yelled, throwing his Pokeball in frustration. "Torch!!"

The air of the battlefield was still for several minutes as neither competitor dared to breathe a sound. Zak listened intently, trying to pinpoint the location of his Pokemon by any echoes or burrowing sounds that could be heard.

After what seemed like hours of waiting, Torch was finally flung back up into the air, landing hard on the dry ground below. Zak peered over towards his Pokemon, which was lying unconscious on the grass, and had no choice but to recall the Magmar into its Pokeball.

Zak said nothing as he watched Tamara's Shuckle reappear from the underground tunnels it had burrowed, waiting patiently for Zak's next choice of Pokemon.

"Tauros, come on out!" Zak cried, launching his fifth choice of Pokemon out into the arena. The Pokeball split in two, spewing forth a torrent of white light which slowly faded into the form of Zak's Normal-type Pokemon, Tauros.

Tamara smiled at the creature as it snorted intimidatingly, scraping its front hoof against the dry, cracked earth where it stood.

"A Normal-type Pokemon, huh?" Tamara said, sounding completely unfazed. "You must be really scraping the barrel now."

Zak clenched his fist in response, glaring angrily at the girl before him.

"We'll just see about that!" he growled. "Tauros, Fissure now!"

Zak's Tauros let out a loud roar which filled the air before stamping down on the ground with both of its front legs, causing ripples beneath the earth. These waves of power began to shake the ground underneath Shuckle's feet, which prompted Tamara to order her Pokemon back down into the tunnels below.

"Running scared, huh?" Zak mocked the girl, smiling to himself. "Tauros, force Shuckle out with the most powerful Fissure you can manage!"

Tauros roared yet again, leaping into the air and putting all the weight of its body down into its hooves as they impacted with the hard ground of the battlefield. Tremors blasted across the entire arena and the ground which surrounded Shuckle's hiding place began to collapse in on itself, closing all entrances to the tunnels the Pokemon had dug.

Zak grinned at this latest development, whilst Tamara simply remained expressionless, watching the ground closely.

There were a few moments of silence once Tauros' attack had ceased. The wind ruffled both trainer's hair with a gentle breeze and the sound of passing traffic in the distance seemed to be drowned out by the intense prolonging of the battle.

Suddenly a distant rumbling was heard, though this quickly grew louder and louder in intensity before finally Shuckle burst up through the ground underneath Tauros, the creature smashing its rock-hard shell into the soft belly of Zak's Pokemon, sending it skidding across the field.

"What!?" Zak gasped, his eyes widening as he watched his Pokemon slide towards him. "But... How!?"

"Shuckle's not only an excellent digger, Zak," Tamara explained calmly. "but I've also been sure to train it very well. It understands my strategies, and it knew exactly what to do when you launched that Fissure attack. Do you honestly believe you're the first person to try that against me?"

Zak gritted his teeth, the frustration obvious on his face. How was he going to win this match? It was almost as if Tamara knew every strategy he could think of; and if she didn't, she could easily develop a counterstrategy on the fly.

Tauros got back to its feet, its body shaking weakly. Clearly Shuckle's attacks were a lot more powerful than they had first appeared. Zak watched the two Pokemon closely, his mind attempting to come up with a new strategy - one which Tamara would be unable to defend against.

"Alright, Tauros!" Zak called out to his Pokemon confidently. "Run and use Stomp on that thing, full power! If we can't get it from below then we can get it from up top!"

"Hmph." Tamara muttered, before delivering orders to her own Pokemon. "Shuckle, use Harden, now!"

Tauros let out another roar, then charged directly towards the creature on the opposite end of the field. Just as it reached Shuckle Tauros backed up onto its hind legs, summoning all of its power as it stamped down onto the creature below, though this attack didn't even provide a scratch on Shuckle's iron-like shell.

"Now show Zak a real Fissure, Shuckle!" Tamara commanded, pointing directly towards Tauros.

Shuckle calmly acknowledged its trainer's orders, pushing itself up off the ground and smashing into Tauros, toppling the Normal-type over. Before reaching the ground Tamara's Pokemon focused all of its energy into its shell, delivering a powerful impact to the field and causing gigantic tremors which split apart the very earth on which Tauros lay. Tauros was shoved onto its side, and one final slam of Shuckle's shell proved enough to knock out Zak's Pokemon.

"This is insane..." Zak cursed to himself as he recalled Tauros and readied his sixth and final Pokeball. "Just how am I supposed to beat this thing? It's got so much defence that I can't even get it to break a sweat!"

Tamara watched carefully as Zak threw down his last choice of Pokeball, releasing the strange, amorphous blob of Ditto onto the field. Ditto squinted at its opponent, then admired the natural surroundings of the current arena.

"Ditto, Transform!" Zak ordered.

Ditto analysed its opponent for a second, then immediately allowed its body to change into a bright, white light as its silhouette changed and contorted into an identical replica of Shuckle's own body. The two Pokemon stared at each other from across the field, neither one seeming particularly fazed by the other.

"Well if attacking doesn't work," Zak mused, his confident smile returning to his face. "then we'll just have to match endurance with endurance..."

"Shuckle, Harden!" Tamara cried.

"You too, Ditto!" Zak called in response.

Both Pokemon narrowed their eyes, their shells shimmering in the sun as they increased their defence in preparation for any possible attacks.

"Now use Fissure!" Zak continued his commands, watching as Ditto retracted into its shell before slamming down into the ground, causing a miniature earthquake to rock the entire battlefield.

"Dig, Shuckle!" Tamara ordered in reply, her fist clenched tightly. This match was coming right down to the wire and her heart was pounding rapidly.

Shuckle burrowed yet another tunnel into the ground of the battlefield, managing to escape Ditto's Fissure attack without harm. Both Zak and Tamara waited for several minutes once the earth had stopped shaking, daring each other to make the next move.

Finally a rumbling noise began to make itself evident beneath the ground, and Zak knew that the time was right.

"Ditto, use Dig directly on the ground beneath you!" he yelled, prompting Tamara's eyes to widen in shock.

Ditto leapt up into the air, then slammed down into the earth below just as Tamara's Shuckle reached the surface. The two Pokemon collided into each other, Ditto's hard shell crashing into the soft skin of Tamara's Shuckle. The two combatants were sent spinning in opposite directions and there was an uneasy silence as both trainers waited to see which Pokemon had emerged victorious.

Eventually one of the Shuckles began to move, though it was clearly in a weakened state. Slowly the creature's shape began to shift back into an irregular blob and Zak immediately knew that Ditto had won the battle. With a blank expression on her face, Tamara recalled her Shuckle back into the confines of its Pokeball and stood there in silence for a moment, contemplating her options.

Zak felt a trickle of sweat roll down his cheek; Ditto was his final Pokemon to fall back on and it was in a severely weakened state. Tamara, however, had only revealed five Pokemon, and her last choice could very well decide the fate of this match.

Tamara stared down at the final Pokeball in her hands, then smiled, replacing it on her belt.

"It's okay, Spheal." she whispered. "I won't let you get hurt. I've already distracted Zak long enough."

She turned, staring over towards Zak for one last second before turning and walking away.

"Hey, wait!" Zak called after her.

Tamara simply ignored the boy and continued to calmly walk away into the distant fields of Kanto. Zak watched the girl as she left, wanting to chase after her, though he knew he shouldn't - he had already wasted enough time on the battle and he had a long walk back to Viridian city.

"Tamara..." he murmured to himself as she soon disappeared from view.


	30. Guardians Reawakened

By the time Zak had arrived back in Viridian City the night had already begun to blanket the sky in a beautiful display of stars. Upon reaching the northern entrance, he immediately headed towards the Viridian Gym - the place where he had told Zeni to head to with his father and the others.

The barricades and road blocks had all been removed long ago and the city seemed to have returned to normal once again. Viridian citizens were all wandering to and from stores and restaurants as if today were just like any other day. But Zak sighed, staring solemnly at his feet as he walked along tiled sidewalks. He knew differently. He knew that with the legendary Pokemon in Knite and Giovanni's possession, the world as they all knew it could very well come to an end at any moment.

Eventually the trainer arrived at the entrance to the Viridian Gym, where it appeared a large police presence was preparing to leave. Curious, he began to jog towards the main doors when suddenly he was stopped by a familiar voice.

"Zak!" Zeni called over.

Zak turned, seeing Zeni and the rest of the group sitting on the corner of the Gym's front courtyard, all looking very depressed.

"Hey," he greeted, wandering over to them. "what's going on? Did they arrest them yet?"

"Not enough evidence." Geol replied, sighing.

"What!?" Zak yelled. "That's impossible! How could they miss it!? There's a whole crazy laboratory on the basement floor!"

"There is no basement floor, Zak." Geol explained. "The police did a thorough search and they came up empty. In fact, they're going to be paying the Gym owners for damage of reputation in the next few weeks."

Zak was silent, his mouth hanging wide open in shock.

"But..." he started. "But, but, but..."

"Giovanni has a lot of clout in this city." Lance spoke up, gritting his teeth. "Dammit! And I thought we'd got him for sure this time..."

"But there was a lab!" Zak cried. "Seriously! And I was there, and Knite went into this weird test-tube thing and came out all half-Charizard! And then I followed him, but that girl caught me and we battled and-"

Geol held up his hand to silence the boy.

"I know, Zak." he groaned. "I know. I have total faith in you, but unfortunately politics speaks a lot louder than it should in this world."

"And now we have no leads..." Lance cursed, slapping his right fist into his open palm. "Knite could be anywhere by now. And he still has Raikou..."

"No." Zak interrupted, prompting everyone to look over towards him. "I have something."

"We're listening." Geol answered.

"Alright, well..." Zak began, trying to recall everything that had happened today in exact detail. "Knite gave Raikou to Giovanni and they stuck this big collar around its neck. Its basically like a tranquilizer to make a Pokemon lose the will to fight. Then Knite said something about capturing Mewtwo, and..."

Both Geol and Lance gasped at the mention of this new word.

"Did you say..." Geol stuttered.

"...Mewtwo?" Lance finished for the man.

"Uh..." Zak mumbled. "Yeah... Does... That mean anything to you?"

"With Mewtwo back in Giovanni's hands..." Geol muttered. "The damage he could do would be catastrophic."

"We've got to stop him!" Lance exclaimed, rising to his feet.

Whitney, Zak and Zeni all looked at each other as they listened to the two adults, all very confused by the conversation which they apparently weren't a part of.

"You mind telling us what's so special about a Mewtwo?" Zeni enquired.

"I just assumed it was another legendary Pokemon." Zak said impatiently. "Why's it any more important than Raikou?"

"All legendary Pokemon share tremendous power, Zak." Geol explained. "But Mewtwo was not born a Pokemon. It was created in a laboratory from the DNA of Mew - what many scientists believe to be the first ever Pokemon to appear on this planet."

There was a long silence from the other members of the team.

"Mewtwo was given life in a test-tube," Geol continued. "then genetically engineered to become the strongest Pokemon known to man. And they succeeded at this with flying colours."

"Who are 'they'?" Whitney asked, intrigued.

"Team Rocket." Geol replied sadly.

"That explains it..." Zak noted, thinking hard as he stared at the brickwork on the sidewalk beneath his feet.

"We have no clue where Mewtwo is now, though." Lance groaned. "We'll have to do some research. And quickly."

"How do you guys know all this, anyway?" Whitney wondered out loud, turning to face Geol. "I mean, this doesn't seem like the kind of thing Team Rocket would want the whole world to know."

Geol smiled.

"The Watchers of Raikou have their sources." he chuckled. "Anyway, it's getting late. Lance?"

"Yes." Lance answered, nodding. "Let's return to Indigo Plateau for the night and I'll try and find out as much as I can about Mewtwo's current location."

As he spoke, Lance removed several Pokeballs, revealing the same Pokemon which the team had used to fly to Indigo Plateau originally. Zak and the others hopped onto the back of their desired Pokemon, the entire party solemn and monotone. Geol turned back, looking up into the night sky, a gentle breeze pushing against his robes.

"Let us pray that we're not too late..." he whispered to himself.

* * *

The gentle warmth of the sunlight beat down on Zak's face, causing him to stir from his sleep. Wearily he opened one eye and took a glance at his surroundings - the interior of the Indigo Plateau Pokemon Centre.

He sat up in bed, stretching and yawning as he did so. Now he remembered - they had arrived at Indigo Plateau sometime after midnight. Zak was so tired that he had retired to bed earlier than the rest of the group, who continued to ask questions about Mewtwo and ponder Team Rocket's plan until the early morning.

Zak quickly got dressed, considering the events of yesterday in his head. Despite the difficult battle against Tamara, the revealing of Team Rocket's plan to capture Mewtwo and Knite becoming half-Charizard, he could only focus on one thing: Yuki.

Zak sighed as the girl's face continued to flash in his mind, invading his every thought. It was his fault that she'd been captured by that maniac - had he been a stronger person then maybe he could have stopped Rafal before he got away. If he had been more determined to find her in Viridian forest then maybe she would still be with them now.

'Yuki...' the boy thought to himself, buckling his belt and adjusting his hair. 'Please be okay...'

Finally ready, Zak headed towards the front desk where nurse Joy sat patiently, waiting for her next duty as she leafed through a Pokemon magazine.

"Good morning, Zak!" she greeted the boy cheerfully before retrieving a tray of six Pokeballs from underneath her desk and passing it to him.

"Good morning..." Zak mumbled, still not feeling entirely awake. "Oh, thanks nurse Joy."

"You're welcome." Joy replied, smiling in her usual, happy way. "Oh, your friends are all in the Pokemon garden out back, if you're wondering."

"Ah, really?" Zak said in response, clipping the Pokeballs to his belt. "Thanks, nurse Joy."

Nurse Joy simply smiled back as she watched the boy head out towards the Pokemon garden and into the midday sun.

As soon as Zak exited the Pokemon Centre he was immediately assailed by a lone Magnemite which swooped down towards him, sparks flying everywhere. Zak immediately dived out of the way and put his guard up, readying a Pokeball.

Zak knew all about Magnemites - he had battled their evolved form, Magneton, when he faced off against Axel in Violet city. It was a strange creature, resembling more of a robot than a Pokemon. It hovered several feet from the ground and was constructed of a small, steel sphere with an eye which was about the size of a Pokeball. On either side of this were two large magnets which stretched out by about a foot in each direction, each one sending out small yellow sparks in a modest display of power.

"Magnemite!" a voice yelled out, prompting Zak to turn and see Zeni dashing towards them. "You can't do that!"

"Zeni..." Zak mumbled, lowering his guard. "This Magnemite's yours?"

Zeni stopped in his tracks, panting breathlessly as Magnemite began to circle Zak, a more happy expression in its eye, the sparks now fading from its magnets.

"Y-yeah..." Zeni breathed, standing up tall. "It's mine... Sorry, it hates people..."

"Doesn't seem too bad to me now..." Zak commented, watching the creature circling him happily.

"Huh..." Zeni mused, confused by Magnemite's sudden change of emotion. "Well, that's weird... I guess it likes you?"

"I thought it was about to fight me..." Zak groaned.

Zak and Zeni's conversation was interrupted by the excited squeals of Zeni's Squirtle and Sandshrew, who both rushed over to greet the newcomer.

"Hey you guys." Zak laughed, waving to the two Pokemon, then turning back to Zeni. "Hey, that reminds me... I haven't even seen all your Pokemon yet."

"You want a tour?" Zeni chuckled, leading Zak further into the garden where they soon came across Whitney, who was currently feeding her Miltank.

"Hey Zak." she greeted the boy, who waved in reply.

"Well," Zeni began. "Sandshrew and Squirtle you already know."

The boy then motioned to his Slowpoke, who was lying down beside Whitney, seemingly infatuated by the young girl.

"And then there's Slowpoke," Zeni continued, turning to point to the Magnemite which continued to circle Zak's head. "and Magnemite."

The boy continued walking, prompting Zak to do the same until they eventually came to a large, rotund Pokemon which lay sleeping against a heavy tree.

"This is Snorlax," Zeni introduced the creature. "and the one beside it is Yanma."

"Uh..." Zak stuttered. "Aren't you supposed to be a... Thief...?"

"I'm not supposed to be," Zeni replied, grinning. "I am a thief."

"How is a Snorlax supposed to be a thief's Pokemon...?" Zak continued, his voice sounding particularly confused. "I mean, I can understand the others, and even Slowpoke has Psychic-type attacks, but... Snorlax..."

"Whatever." Zeni waved away Zak's argument. "It's not like you know anything about being a thief anyway."

"Well, I guess you're right about that..." Zak answered, trying to put the memory of the stolen motorcycle in Viridian city out of his mind.

"Well, those are my Pokemon." Zeni finished. "Please, please, no applause necessary."

"Heh, well it looks like they're all enjoying this garden." Zak noted, removing the Pokeballs from his belt and releasing all six of his Pokemon. "Come on out, you guys!"

Within an instant the forms of Ditto, Epsilon, Nidoqueen, Scizor, Tauros and Torch were released into the garden. All six Pokemon examined their surroundings carefully before heading off in their own separate directions. Nidoqueen headed off in search of food, Epsilon and Torch began to perform a mock fight in the grassy clearing nearby, Tauros headed over towards Whitney's group of Pokemon and Scizor flew up onto a high tree branch, admiring the view from the forest canopy.

"Sweet!" Zeni exclaimed. "I didn't know you had a Ditto!"

"Heh, thanks." Zak returned. "Your Magnemite's pretty cool, too."

As Zak spoke, he petted the Steel-type creature's body gently, which seemed to respond in kind. Ditto blinked up at Zeni, a curious expression evident on the creature's face.

"So now that you've met all his Pokemon, I guess I'll have to introduce you to mine." Whitney spoke up.

Zak turned, suddenly noticing that the girl had been standing behind him for quite some time, holding her Clefairy in her arms.

"You already know Clefairy." she began. "But there's also Eevee..."

The girl motioned towards the small, fox-like Pokemon which sat beside her foot, proudly displaying its glossy, fur coat.

"Ninetails..." she continued, pointing her head towards the large, golden Pokemon which lay sleeping beside a nearby tree, the fur on its nine, beautiful tails ruffling in the breeze.

"...And Bellossom." she finished, leading Zak towards a small, humanoid Grass-type Pokemon which danced and swayed in an almost hypnotic fashion, the leaf skirt and the decorative flowers on its head almost making the creature blend into the garden's background.

"And then there's Mareep and Miltank, but you've met them before." Whitney noted as she lead Zak and Zeni back towards where she had been sitting earlier.

All three trainers raised an eyebrow as they noticed both Miltank and Tauros nuzzling together, causing a large grin to appear on Zeni's face.

"Ah..." he chuckled. "I see what's happened here..."

Both Zak and Whitney craned their necks in order to face the boy, both completely silent, their faces blank.

"Looks like Miltank and Tauros have a thing going on!" he concluded. Both Zak and Whitney groaned.

"Hey, what?" Zeni protested. "I'm an expert at relationships, I know these things! And besides..."

Zeni huddled close to Zak, nudging the boy in the ribs with his elbow and winking.

"Everybody knows that when two trainer's Pokemon fall in love," he whispered in a hushed voice, so as not to attract Whitney's attention. "the trainers do the same!"

Immediately Zak's face flushed a deep, unavoidable red and he pushed Zeni away from him.

"WHAT!?" he cried. Zeni simply grinned, whilst Whitney stared at the two boys curiously.

"Uh..." she mumbled. "What'd he just say to you?"

"N-nothing!!" Zak insisted, his face growing redder and redder by the minute. "Nothing at all, he was just, uh..."

"Yeah I'm a matchmaker." Zeni stated proudly, before coughing as he felt Zak's elbow slam into his stomach. Whitney just sighed.

"I'm not sure if I'll ever understand you guys." she groaned.

There was an uncomfortable silence for a moment before Whitney spoke up again.

"Oh, hey, um..." she mumbled. "Zak?"

"Hm?" Zak replied.

"Well, uh..." Whitney continued. "I was just wondering if you could show me some of those moves you do."

"Moves?" Zak questioned, a puzzled look on his face. "I don't follow you."

"Well, you know..." Whitney stammered. "Like when you were fighting Knite in the Team Rocket hideout at the Ruins of Alph. I mean, I'm kind of interested in learning, if you wouldn't mind teaching me."

"Ah..." Zak finally realised what the girl was talking about. "Well, I'm really not qualified to be a teacher..."

"Just a few basics?" Whitney pleaded. "C'mon!"

"Well, uh..." Zak debated. "...Okay. Follow me, we'll have to find a clearing."

Zeni watched the two trainers as they headed deeper into the garden, hoping to find a suitable space for Whitney to practice some of Zak's martial arts styles. He grinned as they began to fade into the distance.

"Don't mind me!" he called over, waving as they disappeared. "I'll keep an eye on these two lovebirds!"

The boy looked over towards where Miltank and Tauros lay, his grin looking as if it would be a permanent fixture on his face.

"Man, this is too funny..." he chuckled, sitting down beside the two Pokemon and examining his Pokegear.

* * *

"Ah, this spot should be perfect." Zak announced once he and Whitney had arrived in a suitable clearing in the Pokemon Centre's garden.

The boy turned around to face Whitney, removing his backpack and Pokegear and letting them fall to the ground beside him, prompting her to do the same.

"Lemme see your guard." Zak continued, folding his arms and watching the girl closely.

"My..." Whitney replied blankly. "...Guard?"

"Yeah." Zak coughed, rather nervously. He had never experienced being a coach for someone at anything, let alone martial arts. "You know... Like this."

As he spoke Zak raised his arms in front of his face in a defensive posture, shifting his feet in order to lower his stance and prepare for any oncoming attacks.

"Oh, I get it." Whitney giggled, then attempted her own stance, which Zak found rather impressive.

"Huh," he mused, his eyes scanning her body for any weaknesses. "that's pretty good for a beginner."

"Just for a beginner?" Whitney chuckled in response, focusing her gaze on the boy directly in front of her as he began to approach, holding out both hands as if he were expecting her to attack.

"Well, we'll see how it goes." Zak joked. "Now show me your best punch."

Immediately Whitney obeyed the command, jabbing with her right fist directly into Zak's palm, producing a loud slap.

"Good, good!" Zak congratulated the girl. "You've got quite a punch on you. Now try the other hand."

Whitney then proceeded to deliver a flurry of jabs and crosses into both of Zak's open palms. She was by no means the quickest at delivery, but there was no doubt that some of her punches stung quite a bit, and Zak was rather impressed with her determination.

Soon enough Whitney began to lose her breath, which helped Zak to decide on the next exercise.

"Okay, okay." he spoke up. "Now how about some kicks?"

As soon as he said this, Zak leaned his weight onto his back leg and lowered his hands, twisting his palms out to the side in a defensive posture. Whitney watched the boy for a moment, then delivered a particularly weak and clumsy kick with her right leg into his waiting left palm. Whitney held her leg in the air for a moment, wobbling slightly.

"Heh, no problem." Zak reassured her. "I found kicks really difficult at first, too."

"Let me try that again." Whitney insisted, allowing no room for Zak to complain.

Whitney took a deep breath in preparation, then slammed her right foot into Zak's left palm again. The delivery was more quick and powerful this time, though it was still obvious to both combatants that it lacked precision and control.

"One more time..." Whitney said firmly. Zak simply nodded to the girl.

Minutes soon began to pass by like water flowing in a steady stream and the two trainers continued to practice together. Whilst it was obvious that Whitney was becoming more and more tired, Zak was very impressed by her dogged determination - she refused to give any less than her very best. Truly, the scared little girl from Goldenrod city had become a strong, independent woman.

"How about some light sparring?" Zak suggested, causing Whitney's eyes to light up.

"You think I'm good enough!?" she exclaimed excitedly, her energy seemingly renewed.

"Heh," Zak laughed. "you sure are. It'll just be light, anyway."

Whitney approached Zak, her face brimming with confidence as he assumed a defensive posture.

"Anytime you're ready." he joked.

Whitney paused for a moment, then lunged forward, jabbing with her right and following up with a left hook, both of which Zak blocked, lowering his stance. Whitney then attempted a roundhouse kick, which Zak easily ducked underneath, allowing the girl to spin on the spot and prepare her next strike. Whitney attempted to throw a right hook towards the boy, but her footing was entirely off balance and upon launching the punch she span around a second time and began to fall into Zak.

Zak caught the girl and wrapped both of his arms tightly around her waist, not wanting her to topple either of them over. The two trainers stood there for a moment, holding each other closely as time seemed to drift around them. Zak could feel the girl's breasts pushing against his mid-torso and he tried desperately not to think about her body as the two of them simply stood there, waiting for something to happen, neither one daring to move an inch.

Eventually Whitney looked up, smiling nervously at him.

"I..." she muttered, her voice no more than a whisper as she slowly moved away from Zak, her hands gently tracing against his back as she did so. "I guess I need... Some work, huh?"

Zak managed a smile and just nodded, allowing his hands to fall away from the girl.

"Uh..." he added hastily as she began to turn away, his eyes trying not to focus on her behind. "Well, I mean, you're getting there. For sure. Just a little more practice and you'll be-"

Zak stopped for a moment, turning back and looking up towards the trees behind him, eying them suspiciously. Whitney blinked at the boy curiously.

"Zak?" she asked. "What's wrong?"

"I thought I..." Zak mumbled back.

Suddenly Zak saw something move from behind the thick cover of the garden's canopy. His eyes widened and he gripped Whitney tightly, rolling to the floor and narrowly avoiding the speeding figure of a familiar man which rushed past the two trainers.

Zak immediately rolled back onto his feet, turning to face the stranger and assuming his defensive position within a second. Whitney rolled onto her back, looking up towards the boy.

"Wh-" she gasped. "What was that?"

Laughter made itself heard from the thick trees opposite Zak and Whitney before the stranger stepped forward into the light.

"Rafal..." Zak growled deep in his throat.

"Glad to see you've remembered me, your highness." Rafal answered back, a sneer on his face as he twirled a small dagger in his right hand.

"You know him?" Whitney questioned, slowly getting to her feet and watching the man cautiously.

"This is the creep who kidnapped Yuki." Zak explained, his gaze not moving from the man opposite. "Quickly Whitney, get behind me!"

"Relax, kid." Rafal laughed. "I'm not here for your little whore friend. I'm here for you."

"What'd you say!?" Whitney hissed, clenching her fist tightly.

"Whitney!" Zak barked, his patience wearing thin. "Behind me, now!"

The boy then turned his eyes back to Rafal, lowering his tone of voice as he continued to speak.

"What are you after, Rafal?" he asked. "What did you do to Yuki? Is she safe?"

"The mistress ordered me to bring her back safe and sound," Rafal sneered back. "and I did. Now it's your turn."

"Mistress...?" Zak echoed. "Who is this mistress?"

"You'll find out soon enough, Zak." Rafal chuckled, grabbing his dagger in midair and pointing it straight towards Zak. "Now prepare yourself!"

Within an instant Zak drew his father's sword from its sheath, slashing it down against the steel of Rafal's dagger as it flew towards him. Zak immediately turned, seeing Rafal approach Whitney from behind, knife at the ready.

"Whitney, no!" Zak yelled, dashing past the girl and swinging his sword towards Rafal, who narrowly dodged the attack, retreating back towards the trees of the forest.

"I knew you'd be a challenge, Zak." Rafal sniggered, removing the throwing dagger from his teeth and poising it towards his target yet again. "But you have one obvious weakness..."

"And what's that?" Zak shouted back angrily. So long as he was around, no-one would lay a finger on Whitney.

Rafal grinned from underneath his mask arrogantly.

"Women." he answered, causing Zak to pause for a moment.

"Never lower your guard, my prince!" Rafal shrieked, springing away from the trees and leaping straight towards the boy, dagger at the ready.

Zak quickly regained his composure, slamming the blade of his sword down into the grass and using the hilt as a pivot to swing his body around, kicking Rafal square in the face. Rafal grunted in pain as he rolled down onto the floor and quickly attempted to jump back onto his feet until Zak lowered his foot above the man's neck.

"Who said I lowered my guard?" Zak taunted. "Whitney."

Whitney peered over towards the two.

"Go find my father and bring him here." Zak continued, then turned back to Rafal. "Now you'd better explain where Yuki is. Or else."

"Heh," Rafal coughed as blood flowed from his nose. "that was a pretty strong kick, your highness. I commend you. But I know you don't have the guts to kill me."

Suddenly the sound of metal clanging against the hard ground became evident and both Zak and Rafal peered up to see the form of Zak's Scizor standing above Rafal's head.

"Master Zak may have hesitations about killing a man," Scizor spoke ominously as he looked down towards the man, his metallic eyes reflecting no ounce of emotion. "but I however, do not."

Rafal was silent for a moment, then watched in horror as Scizor kneeled down next to him, allowing his razor-sharp claws to reflect the midday sun.

"And just to let you know," Scizor added, a grin forming on his metal face. "I like to kill things slowly."

"Okay okay!" Rafal panted, his heart pounding against his ribcage as he spoke. "I had orders from the mistress to return both you and the princess to her."

"Who is this mistress?" Zak pursued the issue, pressing his foot harder against Rafal's neck.

"You should know," Rafal chuckled, coughing slightly as the blood from his nose flowed over his lips and into his mouth. "she's your mother, after all."

Both Zak and Scizor's eyes widened in shock.

"What did you..." Zak breathed. "That's impossible! I saw Velcia die in the Ruins of Alph!"

"Believe what you want, prince," Rafal spluttered. "but the Guardians of Raikou don't die so easily."

"Where are they!?" Zak cried. "Tell me now! Where is Yuki!? If you've hurt her-"

"You'll do what?" Rafal spat in defiance. "I'm about to die regardless of what you say."

"I'm a man of my word." Zak replied.

"So am I." Rafal hissed, then quickly slapped his hand over his mouth, closing his eyes as he breathed deeply against his skin.

Zak hesitated for a moment, then grabbed the man's arm, tearing it away from his face with no resistance. The trainer then watched in horror as he saw a dark green liquid flowing over the crevasses of Rafal's palm and the man's breathing had ceased.

"It's poison, Zak." Scizor commented, examining the liquid. "You should stand back; it's pretty strong."

Zak walked over to his sword, removing it from the ground and sheathing it at his side. Somberly he stared up into the deep, blue sky above, watching the clouds sail elegantly overhead.

"He's gone." Scizor announced, with what sounded like a hint of sorrow in his metallic voice.

Zak breathed deeply, closing his eyes and smelling the garden's air. There was a piercing silence for a moment - a kind of silence Zak had never experienced before.

"DAMMIT!!" the boy screamed, his voice echoing up high into the mountains and fading away on the horizon.


	31. The Mission is Clear: To Whirl Islands!

The tone of the party was incredibly sombre in the night following Rafal's death: Zak blamed himself for not realising Rafal's plan sooner and cursed himself for not being able to discover Yuki's whereabouts. The others did their best to cheer the boy up, but it proved to be no use - all he could think of was how he had let Yuki down twice now.

"I've done it!" Lance announced, dashing into the waiting room of the Indigo Plateau Pokemon centre - entirely empty save for Zak's party, nurse Joy and several Chanseys going about their duties. "I've dug up some more info on Mewtwo's location!"

Zak's ears immediately perked up upon hearing Mewtwo's name.

"What?" he asked. "Where is it?"

"The Whirl Islands." Lance replied, sitting down in front of the table in the centre of the group and unfolding a large map of the Johto region on it. Zak admired the map for a moment, noticing several notes and scribbles scattered around different areas, particularly Mount Silver and the Whirl Islands.

"The Whirl Islands..." Zak muttered, then turned to Geol. "Dad, those aren't too far from our home!"

Geol nodded silently.

"For the past few years Mewtwo has been living in peace on Mount Silver, trying its best to remain out of sight from humans," Lance explained, pointing a finger towards Mount Silver on the map before them. "but recently it moved to the Whirl Islands. For what purpose I have no idea, but..."

"How did you know where to find it?" Whitney enquired, interested.

"Incredibly, Mewtwo led us to it." Lance answered. "You see, all Pokemon give off a psychic resonance which certain technologies respond to. Obviously, Psychic-type Pokemon give off energies which are a lot stronger than other types, and when you're dealing with a legendary Psychic-type... Well, it all becomes pretty clear."

"Huh..." Zeni mused, adjusting the sunglasses on his head. "It all just seems way too easy..."

"That's what I thought, too." Lance groaned. "You see, Mewtwo is more than capable of blocking that resonance - and it's certainly aware that it exists. So why it chose to move to the Whirl Islands and continue to exude it is... Questionable, to say the least."

"So it's a trap." Zak concluded.

"Maybe," Geol sighed, getting to his feet. "but it's the only lead we have and we should take it before time runs out. Knite already has a sizable head-start on us."

"I'm on my way!" Zak declared, standing up and heading towards his bunk to collect his things.

"Heh, this'll be fun..." Zeni chuckled, rolling up his sleeves eagerly.

"Listen, Zeni... Whitney..." Zak stammered, his eyes trailing the ground as he spoke. "Don't take this the wrong way, but... I... I want you to stay here."

"No chance." Zeni returned.

"For once I agree with Zeni." Whitney added. "Don't go doing that clichŽ hero thing on us, it's so frustrating."

"If it weren't for me Yuki would still be with us!" Zak hissed. "I don't want the same thing happening to you two!"

"Hey, we can take care of ourselves, Zak." Zeni protested, getting to his feet and looking the boy square in the eye. "And besides, you're not exactly a one-man army, y'know."

"I..." Zak stuttered.

He didn't know what to say. On the one hand he was thrilled that his friends were so willing to put themselves in danger just to protect him, but on the other he couldn't remove the guilt he felt for letting Yuki down. If anything happened to anyone else, he didn't know what he would do. Just as he was about to speak up again, he felt the hand of his father land on his shoulder.

"Let's go, Zak." he said warmly. "We've come this far as a team and it makes no sense to split up now."

Zak was silent for a moment, considering his father's words. After a few seconds of quiet contemplation he eventually nodded, smiling.

"Alright..." he accepted, then turned to look at Zeni and Whitney again. "Guys... It'd be an honour to travel with you."

"Likewise." Whitney giggled.

"Come on," Lance insisted. "no time like the present, right?"

The group nodded to each other and gathered their things before heading outside and into the night.

* * *

"Good job, Alakazam," the voice of Yuki's mother Velcia spoke up in the darkness of the dank cave, the distant sound of rushing water giving the whole area a calming, yet surreal atmosphere. "keep it up."

"Milady..." the voice of a young man who knelt before the makeshift throne where Velcia sat made itself heard. "Forgive me for asking, but... If your Alakazam continues to project such a powerful psychic frequency, then won't that signal also be picked up by Knite?"

"Knite..." Velcia echoed, a smile forming on her lips. "I certainly hope it does. Then I'll be able to capture two birds with one stone. That boy and I have a score to settle..."

"And what of the princess, milady?" the man pursued, his eyes trailing to his right, where just behind the throne hung a large, square-shaped cage containing a silent Yuki.

"Hmph." Velcia replied. "She will learn what it means to defy her destiny."

The woman craned her neck to look at her daughter, whose eyes trembled with fear in response.

"Do not worry, my dear," Velcia whispered with a voice which could freeze even the most fiery of courage. "everyone makes mistakes. We just have to make sure we don't continue to make the wrong ones..."

Velcia paused, then stared down at the man who continued to kneel before her.

"You are dismissed."

"Yes, mistress." the man answered, giving the woman a salute before turning on the spot and exiting the throne-room.

"Come to me," Velcia chuckled to herself, leaning her face against her hand idly. "Knite, Zak... Geol... I will prove to you that the Guardians of Raikou cannot be defeated so easily..."

* * *

Midnight had long since come and gone by the time Zak's party arrived in Olivine city, just a few miles north of the Whirl Islands. The group made sure they hurried into the nearest Pokemon centre for the night as thunder and lightning complimented the heavy rain of a powerful storm that had begun to rock the upper coastal area of the Johto region.

Whilst Geol introduced himself at the front desk the rest of the group sat in the modest waiting area and discussed their plans for heading to the Whirl Islands.

"Well, looks like we're not going anywhere until this storm clears up..." Zak groaned.

"Indeed," Lance agreed, nodding. "and coastal storms in this region can last for days. There's no way we can fly in this weather and sea travel will be especially difficult."

"We can't just forget about it, though!" Whitney protested. "Knite may have already been and gone and he's not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed! He's just about crazy enough to swim across this ocean!"

"And probably strong enough, too..." Zeni added helpfully as he leaned across the central table, his arms stretched out in front of him lazily. Whitney noticed Zak's solemn expression, then flashed Zeni a fierce glare.

"You've got to play with the cards you're dealt." Lance sighed. "Look, I don't want Knite to get away with it anymore than you guys do. But if something happens to us then Team Rocket will have free reign, and we don't want that to happen."

"I guess..." Zak muttered under his breath, staring idly at the floor of the Pokemon centre as he rubbed his hands together, still shivering slightly from the cold outside.

"Well," Geol announced, smiling warmly as he approached the rest of the group. "I've booked us in for the night. I'm sure you're all pretty tired, so perhaps we should all get some rest."

"Thanks, Geol." Whitney yawned, getting to her feet and stretching her arms out. "It feels like I could sleep for days right about now."

"You're welcome, Whitney." Geol replied. "What about you, Zak?"

"Hm?" Zak answered, looking up towards his father. "Oh, uh, no thanks. I think I'll just stay up a little longer."

"Fair enough." Geol accepted, yawning himself as he handed everyone their respective bunk tickets. "Well, goodnight everybody."

Soon the group had begun to disperse: Geol, Lance and Whitney all headed off to their appropriate bunks whilst Zeni went to the coffee machine to make himself a drink. Zak simply remained seated, staring down at the floor with that same, sad expression still in his eyes.

After a few minutes Zeni returned to the table holding two cups of boiling hot drink which he placed down in front of the boy before returning to his seat opposite. Zak glanced up to see Zeni grinning at him.

"I figured you'd be thirsty." Zeni chuckled, leaning back in his chair.

Zak took the cup in front of him and eyed it curiously, taking a sniff of the drink's powerful cocoa aroma.

"What is it?" he questioned.

"Hot chocolate." Zeni returned. He took a sip of his own drink, then immediately wished he hadn't as it was still piping hot. Zak couldn't help but smile as he watched the boy, who eventually managed to force the drink down his throat.

The two trainers sat in silence for several minutes, taking an occasional sip of their drink. The Pokemon centre itself was still buzzing with activity as trainers came in and out of the front doors with their Pokemon by their sides.

"So..." Zeni began to speak up. "Are you still blaming yourself about Yuki?"

Zak glanced up towards Zeni, then allowed his eyes to trail back down to the mug of hot chocolate resting on the table in front of him. He watched closely as the steam lifted up from the drink and twirled up towards the ceiling.

"It's all my fault..." he answered eventually. "I thought I was strong enough to stop Rafal, but-"

"Well, you were." Zeni interrupted. Zak glanced back up and both trainers looked each other square in the eyes. "I mean, you beat Rafal up at Indigo Plateau, remember?"

"Then why couldn't I beat him when he took Yuki!?" Zak growled, slapping his open palm with his fist. "I don't understand! I had the ability, and yet I... I didn't..."

"Of course not." Zeni agreed. "You didn't because... Well, who could act perfectly in a situation like that?"

"A situation like what?" Zak echoed.

"A situation..." Zeni stammered a little as he spoke, trying to formulate the words correctly in his mind. "Well, I guess in a situation where you... Have to protect somebody..."

Zak was silent as he took another sip of the hot chocolate.

"That you like..." Zeni finished.

"Huh?" Zak mumbled.

"Uh, well..." Zeni chuckled nervously. "I mean, you do like her, right? I mean, she IS really cute and all, and, well, I would too, if I were in your position!"

"She's my SISTER, Zeni!" Zak snapped.

"HALF-sister." Zeni grinned.

"But, still, it..." Zak muttered, his voice steadily lowering in volume as he began to think about Yuki. "I couldn't... She'd never..."

There was a long pause for a moment as Zak debated on his choice of words.

"We're just friends." he managed.

"Ha!" Zeni laughed, taking another swig of the hot chocolate in his hand. "Y'mean to tell me you'd act exactly the same if I'd been kidnapped?"

"You can look after yourself, that's not a fair comparison!" Zak protested.

"Hey, Yuki's pretty badass for a girl." Zeni replied.

Zak finished off his drink as he thought to himself. It was just like the time Tanner had tried to take Whitney from him in Ilex forest. When Rafal had his arm around Yuki's neck, ready to carry her away, his legs just froze. He had felt that same feeling in his heart on both those days - that strange, paranoid, burning sensation in his chest which seemed to completely immobilise him. If Tanner had taken Whitney on that day, would he have felt as strongly as he did about this?

"You tired?" Zak asked, suddenly looking back up towards Zeni and replacing his now empty cup on the table in front of them.

"Nah," Zeni answered. "I think I'll stay up a bit longer."

"Good." Zak said, smiling. "Do you wanna go for a walk?"

Zeni eyed the boy curiously, then glanced out of a nearby window, where he could see the rain pounding down against the glass in a seemingly never-ending torrent.

"Y'mean..." Zeni swallowed nervously, pointing towards the window. "Outside?"

"Yeah!" Zak continued, grinning. "I'm sure we can borrow some jackets from nurse Joy. C'mon, you're not scared of a little rain, are you?"

"Oh," Zeni stammered nervously as the two trainers rose to their feet. "I was just worrying about you, was all!"

The two trainers made their way to the front desk where nurse Joy was sitting, yawning sleepily. Zak checked out some cozy jackets for the two of them before proceeding to head outside with Zeni into the harsh, pouring rain.

Once they had exited the building, the two trainers simply stood underneath the small shelter of the entrance, watching the brief bursts of lightning which occasionally punctuated the inky black storm clouds high in the sky. The rain crashed into the ground, forming a light layer of mist which seemed to rise up and engulf the entire port of Olivine. In the distance they could hear powerful waves pounding against the sandy shores of the beach, and towards the east of the town stood the proud silhouette of the Olivine lighthouse, projecting a powerful beam of light out towards the southern ocean.

"You hungry?" Zak asked casually.

At that exact moment, Zeni felt his stomach growl loudly, and he grinned.

"I could eat something." he admitted.

"Heh, well, I hope fast food's okay with you," Zak began, making the first step out onto the streets of Olivine as he threw the hood of his jacket over his head. "because I could really go for some fries right about now."

"Oh, agreed." Zeni replied, a smile forming on his lips as he followed Zak out onto the streets, his mind already browsing the menu of his favourite restaurant. "Fries are probably the greatest invention after the Pokeball!"

Both Zak and Zeni laughed at this comment and headed towards the docks, where Zak was sure he had spotted a restaurant before the group had landed by the Pokemon centre.

It didn't take long for the two trainers to find a local fast food restaurant, and soon they were enjoying a meal by the window, Zak staring outside towards the storm which continued to assault the shore of Olivine city with a torrent of raging water and howling winds, whilst Zeni simply savoured the taste of his fries.

"Heh, y'know-" Zeni managed in-between large mouthfuls of food. "-it's weird how..."

He paused for a moment to swallow before taking another bite.

"Like, some places it can rain like this all day," he continued. "while other places don't even get so much as a drop of rain."

"I wouldn't know," Zak replied earnestly as he took a sip of his soda. "this is all I've known my whole life. The Johto region is pretty temperate; I guess the heaviest snow we ever got on my island was like four inches one winter."

There was a moment of silence as the two continued to eat.

"Come to think of it," Zak resumed. "where do you come from, Zeni? When I met you, you just seemed to be wandering about aimlessly. Are you from Johto?"

"I'm originally from Orre." Zeni explained, a hint of uneasiness evident in his voice as he spoke.

Zak watched curiously as he noticed Zeni's expression sadden somewhat as he recalled his memories.

"Huh... Orre, huh?" he mused. "I've always wondered what living in a desert would be like..."

Orre, as Zak recalled from reading magazines and hearing news broadcasts, was a large continent to the far north of here, which was almost entirely covered by sand. As a result it was one of the most inhospitable places in the world, and it had also bred some of the toughest international Pokemon trainers out there.

"You don't make it sound like the happiest place on earth..." Zak commented, wanting to try and make Zeni feel better, though he wasn't entirely sure if he would be able to.

"Eh..." Zeni mumbled, staring idly at the food which lay in front of him. "Let's just say that... A lot of things happened to me back there."

"Did you..." Zak stammered, warily pushing the topic further. "Did you wanna talk about it?"

Zeni was about to reply, when suddenly their conversation was interrupted by the loud talking of two sailors standing at the counter, waiting to place an order.

"It's incredible, you won't believe it!" one of the men bellowed loudly. "Right down by the docks - they're biting like there's no tomorrow! Water-type Pokemon of every kind!"

"Wow," the other chuckled, casually leaning against the counter as he spoke. "talk about perfect timing. Right on schedule for the annual Olivine fishing contest tomorrow morning. I guess the early bird doesn't always catch the worm!"

"Huh..." Zak muttered to himself - he didn't mean to eavesdrop, but the two men had been talking so loudly it was difficult not to. "Fishing contest, eh?"

"Hey, we don't have time to enter a fishing contest!" Zeni protested. "Remember what happened with the last tournament we entered?"

"Well, I was actually just thinking of passing away the time." Zak explained. "Fishing is actually pretty relaxing - I did it on the walk up from Azalea town to Violet city."

Zak paused, then smiled as he recalled the memories of that day just a few weeks ago.

"At least, it was relaxing until a certain someone sneaked up on me..."

Zeni grinned, finishing off the last of his fries and joining Zak as the trainer exited the restaurant and headed out into the violent storm yet again.

* * *

It wasn't long before both Zak and Zeni discovered the area along the docks which the sailors had been talking about. It had been easy to find - all the trainers had to do was simply follow the excited yells of fishermen and the squeals of ensnared Water-type Pokemon. Zak and Zeni both rented out a fishing rod of their own from one of the nearby salesmen and sat along the edge of the docks, casting their lines into the raging ocean and waiting patiently for a catch.

The docks weren't particularly crowded tonight: there were only about four or five people fishing, but they certainly made enough noise to make up for their lack of numbers. Fortunately Zak didn't have to withstand the torrential rain for long as he soon felt a hefty tug on the line of his fishing rod.

"Damn, those sailors weren't lying, huh!?" Zeni yelled over the sound of the rain splashing down into the ocean below as Zak struggled to resist the powerful creature on the other end of the line.

"Yeah!" Zak panted in reply, now getting to his feet as he attempted to reel the sea creature in closer towards him. "Hey, Zeni - grab me a Pokeball from my belt will you?"

"Right, right..." Zeni muttered, examining Zak's belt carefully. "Pokeball, Pokeball..."

As the young thief was not entirely sure where Zak kept his empty stash of Pokeballs, he simply chose one at random which was nestled in-between two Great balls. Clicking the small button in the centre of the sphere and enlarging it for his friend, he readied himself to throw it at the Pokemon on the end of Zak's fishing line when it surfaced.

"You pull it up and I'll throw it for you!" Zeni suggested. Zak, however, was quickly becoming too exhausted to reply and simply nodded to Zeni, glad to have some help in the matter.

After a long period of struggling with the fishing rod, Zak eventually managed to muster enough strength to pull the hooked Pokemon up closer to the docks, but was suddenly overwhelmed by the power of the creature as its huge, navy blue wings rushed out from beneath the waves, bombarding the two trainers with powerful blasts of air which knocked the both of them off their feet.

"Zeni!!" Zak cried, his eyes tightly shut to avoid getting blinded by sea water. "Do it now!"

"Uh...!" Zeni spluttered, spitting out a mouthful of salt water as he scrambled to his feet on the slippery pier. "Right!"

Zeni aimed carefully at the gigantic creature hovering before them, its pearly blue underbelly exposed as it continued to flap its huge wings in defiance of its would-be captors, its small, shiny black eyes glaring down at them.

Zeni wasted no time hurling the ball straight into the creature's belly. The ball split in two, absorbing the creature into a form of pale red light and began shaking in mid-air as it fell towards the ocean. The two trainers stared on in horror, until suddenly the ball split apart once again, flying back into Zeni's palm and ejecting the Pokemon that it had tried to contain just seconds earlier.

"Dammit," Zeni hissed to himself. "you'll have to weaken it first, Zak!"

"I've got my hands full here, Zeni!" Zak snapped back. "Grab one of my Pokemon and do some attacks with it or something!"

"Aw, dammit..." Zeni groaned, grabbing a random Pokeball and flinging it towards the Water-type which was struggling to break free of the hook that ensnared it. "I choose you, whatever you are!"

The Pokeball spewed forth a beam of white light which produced the body of Zak's Ditto, which landed elegantly on the side of the pier, ready to fight its opponent.

"Ditto, use Transform!" Zeni ordered, prompting the creature to stare up at him curiously, then back over to Zak.

"Just listen to Zeni, Ditto!" Zak urged, groaning under the strain of the ensnared Water-type on the other end of his fishing line.

Ditto nodded, then fixed its eyes on the enemy, its body slowly twisting into an exact replica of the creature opposite.

"Good job, Ditto!" Zeni complimented the Pokemon. "Now use Ice Beam!"

Ditto wailed its understanding, narrowing its eyes and focusing its energy into a concentrated orb of frozen power. This orb hovered in front of the creature's body for a moment, before transforming into a thin beam which slammed into the enemy with tremendous force, slamming the creature back underneath the waves and almost taking Zak with it, who continued to hold onto the fishing rod for dear life.

"ZENI!" Zak yelled above the sound of tumbling rain and crashing waves. "Are you TRYING to kill me!?"

"Heh," Zeni chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head. "sorry, dude."

Just as Zeni's words left his mouth, the Water-type Pokemon rose back up from the waves, its body now even more entangled on the fishing line than before. It stared down angrily at Zak and Zeni, preparing an Ice Beam of its own.

"Quickly, Ditto!" Zeni resumed his commands, pointing at the wild Pokemon before them. "Use Take Down!"

Ditto wailed again, then slammed headfirst into its opponent's soft underbelly, forcing Zak to release the fishing rod from his grip and narrowly avoid tumbling into the ocean.

"Alright!" Zeni shouted confidently, taking the empty Pokeball from earlier and hurling it towards the Water-type which was struggling to fend off Zeni's attack. "Pokeball, go!!"

The red and white sphere hurtled through the rain and wind, eventually colliding with the wild Pokemon which hovered above the waves, splitting open and inevitably absorbing the creature's body inside of it. The ball landed on top of Ditto's back, and the Pokemon obligingly rolled it onto the edge of the pier and into Zak's hands before transforming back into its original shape.

"Wow..." Zak gasped, completely out of breath as he stared at the Pokeball lying idle in his palm. "That was awesome... Good job, Zeni."

Ditto nudged the boy's ankle irritably.

"Oh, heh," Zak laughed. "you too, Ditto. You too."


	32. A New Teammate, An Old Enemy

"Hey!" a familiar voice called out towards the pier, struggling to overcome the sounds of the fierce rain and wind which surrounded them.

Zak and Zeni turned to see Whitney approaching them, wrapped up in a warm, bulky coat which made it almost impossible for any water to seep through to her skin underneath.

"Oh," Zak stammered, suddenly aware of how exhausted he must have looked. "hey Whitney."

"What are you doing here?" Zeni asked bluntly, to which the girl gave him a stare.

"I saw you guys leaving the Pokemon centre earlier and I thought Zak might have tried something stupid."

Zak frowned at this comment.

"Stupid...?" he repeated, almost disappointingly.

"Like trying to get to Whirl Islands by yourself or something." Whitney replied, grinning at the boy.

"But it looks like you guys actually made a smart choice for once." the girl continued, then suddenly noticed the Pokeball which Zeni had previously handed over to Zak. "Hey, who's Pokeball is that?"

"Mine, I guess." Zak laughed in a carefree manner, unmoved by the rain which continued to splash down over his face. "We just caught it."

"Oh, cool!" Whitney mused, leaning in to get a closer look, as if she could actually see the Pokemon inside. "What kind of Pokemon did you catch?"

"Uh..." Zak murmured, blushing slightly as he stared down at the wooden boards of the pier below their feet. "Come to think of it, I'm not really sure. It's like this big Water-type with huge wings and-"

"It's a Mantine." Zeni interrupted. "Pretty good size, too! We had to call out Ditto here to help us..."

Zeni's voice began to trail off as he turned to look at the small, pink Pokemon which continued to stand beside them. As the three trainers stood there Zak watched the Pokeball in his hands begin to fade into a red light before suddenly vanishing into his virtual storage system at the Johto Pokemon League headquarters.

"Hey, uh..." Zeni began timidly, looking back up at Zak. "Zak?"

"Hm?" Zak returned, still smiling at the prospect of using his freshly caught Pokemon. "What is it, Zeni?"

"Well, uh... I was just wondering..." Zeni stuttered. "Well... Would you like to trade?"

"Huh?" Zak blinked, not entirely following what Zeni was trying to say. "Trade?"

"Yeah, trade our Pokemon." Zeni explained. "I mean, your Ditto is really awesome, and I think we worked pretty well as a team..."

There was a silence between the three trainers for a moment as Zak pondered this, looking down at Ditto as he did so.

"And you like Magnemite, right?" Zeni chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head as he spoke. "I mean, I know it likes you. You're like, the only human it's ever liked."

"Huh..." Zak considered, still looking down towards Ditto, who just stared back up at its trainer curiously. "I dunno..."

"It's not like we're two strangers, either." Zeni said, twirling his foot on the boards of the pier. "I mean, we're friends, right? Normally most trades are done between total unknowns."

"Well, Ditto DOES like you..." Zak agreed, kneeling down beside Ditto and rubbing its head, or at least, what Zak considered its head. He then stopped and looked up towards Whitney. "What do you think, Whitney?"

"Hey, it's up to you." the girl commented back. "From a strategic perspective Magnemite would make a lot more sense than Ditto, as it has some strong type advantages that your team lacks right now."

"Heh," Zak laughed gently. "Is that your professional Gym leader answer?"

"That's my logical answer." Whitney answered, grinning. "But you've also got to ask yourself if you'll miss it, and if the rest of your Pokemon will miss it. I remember when you first caught the little guy..."

Whitney joined Zak on the floor, petting the creature's slick, smooth body, causing Ditto to almost melt happily at her touch.

"And it's not entirely your decision to make," the girl continued, her eyes returning to a serious gaze at her friend opposite. "if you think Ditto would like to go with Zeni, then that's fine. But for a Pokemon there's nothing worse than having a trainer you don't like."

"Hm..." Zak pondered as he and Whitney got back onto their feet. "Let me think about it Zeni."

Zeni nodded obligingly in response.

"So what are you guys doing now?" Whitney asked, looking up towards the skies from which the rain refused to ease up. "It's like one in the morning, you know."

"Ha!" Zeni laughed defiantly at the girl. "You act as if I have a curfew! I think you're forgetting that I'm a legendary thief - I set my own rules!"

"Right, right..." Whitney sighed, her eyes trailing away to the side. It was a typically Zeni response which she had become accustomed to by now.

"Well..." Zak mumbled, looking out towards the ocean and checking a map of the Whirl Islands on his Pokegear. "I really don't want to wait until morning to find Mewtwo... But..."

"But?" Whitney repeated. "What are you thinking?"

"Well, I'm getting pretty tired," Zak continued. "and Mantine's the only way we'll be able to get over there by ourselves, but it needs to take a rest right now."

"Yeah..." Zeni yawned, his eyes slowly beginning to droop. "I guess I could take a nap, too..."

"Heh," Whitney chuckled as the three trainers began to head back towards the Pokemon centre. "and there was me thinking you were about to swim across that ocean!"

"If you'd have asked me a couple hours earlier, I'd have probably suggested that." Zak replied, grinning, then turned towards Ditto, who continued to watch them from the edge of the pier. "Come on, Ditto! You can ride on my shoulder."

Ditto nodded happily, then leapt from its position on the wet boardwalk directly onto Zak's left shoulder, where it hung on tightly, resisting the fierce chill of the wind and rain which lashed down on everyone in its path. Zak watched the creature from the corner of his eye as it stared around at the port-town in awe.

'Trade...' he thought to himself. 'Would you like that, Ditto?'

* * *

The next morning Whitney could hear the rain continuing to pound down against the glass window beside her bunk, waking her dauntingly from her sleep.

The girl yawned, fidgeting underneath the covers as she turned her head on her pillow in order to strain her eyes at the small, glowing numbers of her Pokegear which was conveniently propped on the windowsill. 7:58AM, and already the Pokemon centre was heaving with activity.

"Dammit..." she whispered to herself, trying not to let her eyes droop back into sleep. "Why do we have to save the world today...?"

Whitney knew her responsibilities now though, and as much as she wanted to stay in bed, she knew she would have to get up sooner or later. She smiled, remembering how she used to stay in bed until past midday back when she worked at the Goldenrod Gym, crying when her uncle arrived to wake her up after receiving too many complaints from local trainers. Times had changed since then. It all seemed so long ago...

It didn't take Whitney long to get ready - getting changed and brushing her teeth seemed as easy as breathing since she'd started living on the road. Grabbing herself an apple from her bag, the girl headed over towards the front desk, when she suddenly noticed Zak sitting down in front of one the computers located against the rear wall.

"Zak?" she spoke up after she had gotten close enough to make sure it was him. "What are you doing up so early?"

Zak spun on his chair, turning to face the girl, a little shocked by her sudden presence. He stretched his arms and legs out, suddenly realising how little movement he had been having since he first booted up the computer.

"I couldn't sleep." he admitted, swiveling the chair back to face the screen again as he brought up his storage system and a map of the local area. "I woke up at five and just couldn't go back, so I've just been doing some research and stuff."

"Heh, I thought it was weird you were up before me." Whitney teased. "You're usually the last one awake." she paused and thought for a second. "Well, aside from Zeni, anyways."

Whitney then proceeded to lean over the back of Zak's chair and peered at the computer monitor as he typed in his various commands. Zak shivered slightly as he felt the girl's chest push up against the back of his head. Whilst Whitney was apparently unaware of what she was doing, Zak fought desperately to keep his composure.

"So..." she continued, taking a bite of the apple in her hand. "What kind've research have you been doing?"

"Mostly on trading." Zak replied, scrolling with the mouse wheel as he spoke, watching the screen idly. "Y'know, just the ins and outs of the process and all that."

"So have you decided if you're gonna trade with Zeni?" Whitney asked curiously before taking another bite of the apple.

"I think so." Zak nodded. "It's not as if Zeni's a complete stranger - I know he'll look after Ditto, and I have a feeling his Magnemite could come in handy when I have to battle Knite."

Whitney stopped her chewing for a second, then took a step away from the chair, watching her friend curiously.

"You're gonna battle Knite?" she checked, her voice holding a slight hint of worry.

"Yeah." Zak answered bluntly. "I'm gonna have to face him sooner or later, and I have a feeling the psychic resonance coming from the Whirl Islands is a trap of his."

"So you're just gonna walk right in there at his command?" Whitney's voice had now begun to rise in volume and intensity.

"I can beat him..." Zak trailed off, his voice becoming a whisper as his thoughts began to cloud his mind. "If I just..."

"Zak!" Whitney complained, grabbing the chair the boy was sitting in and spinning him around to face her. The girl gripped both of Zak's wrists tightly and leaned in close to his face, frowning at him angrily.

"That's suicide and you know it!" she growled. "I'm not gonna let you just run in there and get yourself killed!"

"I..." Zak stuttered, trying unsuccessfully to back away from the girl who had him pinned in place. "Whitney, I..."

"You're my friend, Zak..." Whitney continued, her eyes trailing off to the ground as her grip on the boy loosened. As he listened to her speak, Zak felt her breath wobble slightly, a well-disguised tremble trying to break free from her voice. "If anything happened to you, I'd..."

"Whitney..." Zak said, smiling, his voice hushing into a whisper with every passing syllable as he reached out with his hand and touched the girl's face, brushing some stray pink hair away from her eyes. "Nothing's gonna happen to me... I promise."

Whitney felt torn. The Pokemon centre was now well and truly bustling with people going about their business in the early morning, yet for some reason she couldn't hear them - the sounds of their voices and their constant footsteps had all been drowned out by Zak's eyes as she continued to stare into them, tracing their intricate brown patterns with her own. She didn't want this moment to end; and yet she hated Zak for making her feel this way. She knew it wasn't his fault - she should probably be blaming herself - but she had never felt quite so strongly about a... Friend... Before. She had to move out of his gaze before she made a fool of herself.

"You don't know that!" she snapped, pulling away from the chair and turning on the spot, closing her eyes as she tried to get the boy's image out of her head.

"...Whitney?" Zak stammered, getting out of his chair and reaching towards the girl.

"Don't!" came Whitney's response, before she hurried away from the main room and back to her bunk, keeping her head low. Zak fell back into his chair, watching the girl as she left, feeling helpless.

"Whitney..." he breathed, then gazed down towards his hands.

'You're an idiot, Zak.' he thought to himself.

"Zak!" a voice called out from the other side of the room. Zak craned his neck, seeing Lance approach.

"Oh, hey Lance." the boy greeted the Elite Four Champion. "What's wrong?"

"I just wanted to warn you that we're leaving in half an hour." Lance explained casually. "Though I'm not entirely sure how we're going to get through this storm..."

"That's easy," Zak responded. "we can ride my Mantine."

"...You have a Mantine?" Lance took a double-step. "Since when?"

"Since last night," Zak replied, trying not to brag as a large grin appeared on his face. "I caught it on the docks."

"Hm, well, that certainly would work..." Lance said, scratching his chin as he considered the possible options. "Mantine's one of the strongest swimmers in Johto; it should have no problem ferrying us to the islands."

"Great!" Zak chuckled. "Oh, hey, could you go wake Zeni up for me? I've got something to show him."

"Sure thing, Zak." Lance obliged, nodding his head at the boy before making his way towards the sleeping quarters of the Pokemon centre.

Zak swiveled his chair back to face the computer screen yet again, grinning as he scrolled through his storage centre.

"Okay..." he noted to himself. "So now my party's going to have Epsilon, Mantine, Nidoqueen, Scizor, Torch... And a shiny new Magnemite!"

Zak checked the digital map of the Whirl Islands on one of the open windows in the upper right-hand corner of the computer screen and smiled to himself.

'You'd better be ready for me, Knite...' he thought. 'Because I'm gonna finish this once and for all!'

* * *

Both Zak and Zeni sat patiently in the waiting room of the Olivine city Pokemon centre's upper floor. They had been here for about ten minutes now, waiting for nurse Joy to set up the link cable connection in order to initiate the Pokemon trading mechanism - the centre had been running late this morning and this was the last thing on nurse Joy's to-do list.

Ditto sat in Zak's lap, admiring its surroundings and watching as several Chanseys dashed to and from the elevator. Some were helping nurse Joy to set up the trading system, whilst others were simply running numerous errands in order to help keep the centre running in peak condition.

"Don't worry, Ditto." Zak said calmingly to the Pokemon on his lap. "You'll have a great time with Zeni. And you'll get to see me whenever you want!"

Ditto nodded, then poked its trainer in the ribs curiously. Zak laughed - the amorphous little creature had always come up with such strange ways to display its emotions. Zak would miss it, but it wasn't as if they would be oceans apart - he knew Zeni would take good care of it.

"Okay, we're all set up and ready to go!" Joy announced, peeking her head out from behind the large computer monitor in the centre of the room.

Zak and Zeni got to their feet and headed over to their designated positions on either side of the huge trading machine. Zak examined the device closely - still in awe of its size, which was roughly the same as most medium-sized cars.

On either side of the machine there was a small pedestal where an enlarged Pokeball could be easily placed, and above this alcove was a large tube which would suck the ball up into the machine, where the Pokemon's personal data would be transferred from its original trainer to its new one. The machine would also record information of the transfer and send this data to each trainer's specific storage systems, no matter what region the trainers were registered in. Upon finalising all of this the Pokeballs would switch places, and the trade would then be complete.

"So are you both ready to go?" nurse Joy prompted the two trainers.

Zak recalled Ditto into its Pokeball, then placed it down into the alcove as Zeni did the same with his Magnemite. The pedestals both rose up, leading the balls towards the large tubes above before stopping and waiting for further commands from nurse Joy's operating panel.

"Okay..." Joy began to explain. "We'll be beginning the transfer in three... Two... One..."

Zak smiled at the young woman, watching her intently entering commands into the large monitor in the centre of the room. She was the only nurse Joy Zak had encountered who wore glasses, which were large and rounded, and complimented her soft face remarkably well. Zeni had made quite a big deal out of this when they first arrived at the Olivine city Pokemon centre, telling the nurse that he needed an eye examination because he was hallucinating and thought he saw an angel behind the front desk.

Zak chuckled to himself at the thought of those memories. There was no doubt that Zeni was embarrassing to be around sometimes, but he did make him laugh.

"And begin!" nurse Joy finished the countdown, pressing the final transfer button and allowing the trading machine to roar into life.

Zak watched the monitor positioned on his side of the machine and examined the process carefully. His Pokeball, indicated by the small face of a Ditto, swapped positions with Zeni's, which was indicated by the face of a Magnemite. The two icons danced around each other in a perfect circle for a while as the words 'Please wait - trade in progress' were displayed underneath. Eventually the two icons headed off in separate directions and each Pokeball arrived at its correct destination. The machine slowly began to shut down, its large fans coming to a halt as both Zak and Zeni took their new Pokeballs and attached them to their belts.

"Congratulations, you two," nurse Joy concluded, smiling at the trainers. "your trade is complete."

"Thanks, nurse Joy." Zak replied, grinning as he looked down at the new Pokeball on his belt.

"It's always a pleasure working with you, nurse Joy." Zeni began, getting down on one knee as he took the woman's hand in his own. "The storm may be cold outside, but the look in your eyes is the only warmth I ever need."

"Oh..." nurse Joy stammered, her cheeks flushing a light pink. "Why, thank you! I think..."

"Zeni..." Zak groaned. "Don't make us late..."

"Oh, right, right." Zeni agreed, getting to his feet and following Zak as the trainer headed back downstairs towards the front desk, where Geol, Lance and Whitney were waiting.

"All set!" Zak declared, smiling. He glanced over towards Whitney, who was staring over at the centre's sleeping quarters and refused to make eye contact with the boy. Clearly she was still upset with him.

"Right." Geol confirmed. "The storm outside is still pretty fierce. Are you sure your Mantine can handle it?"

"Swoop can handle anything." Zak answered back proudly.

"Swoop?" Zeni repeated. "Cool name. Makes sense, too, what with the wings and all."

"Alright, then!" Geol exclaimed. "Let's get going, shall we?"

* * *

After a somewhat harrowing journey across the violent waves, the team eventually arrived at the Whirl Islands, which seemed to be composed of three large islands joined by a complex network of caves. All around these islands lay several much smaller outcroppings of land, which were almost becoming submerged by the ever-increasing tide.

Zak was the last to hop off Mantine, thanking the creature for its help before returning it to its Pokeball. The Pokemon had certainly proven its strength as a swimmer - no matter how big the waves or how fierce the rain the creature refused to slow its pace as they raced towards their destination.

"So do we draw straws or something?" Zeni suggested, pointing at the three entrances to each island.

"We'll split up." Geol decided. "Zeni, you can come with me, Zak, you go with-"

"Whitney." Zak interrupted, taking a step towards the girl, who said nothing and instead simply shifted her feet silently on the sandy ground.

"Okay." Geol agreed, then turned towards Lance. "Lance, do you mind heading in on your own?"

"Hey, I'm the Elite Four Champion, remember?" Lance joked. "Knite won't stand a chance."

Lance paused for a moment, then rummaged in the depths of his cape before revealing three small walkie-talkies and handing one to each group leader.

"Our Pokegears are going to be useless inside those caves," Lance explained. "so I brought these communication devices so we can keep in contact with each other. If anyone finds anything, relay your coordinates to us with these and we'll come back you up. You got it?"

Everyone nodded, then, upon Geol's confirmation, the three groups disbanded and headed into the warmth of their chosen cave and out of the raging storm.

It was almost pitch black inside, so upon entering Zak immediately withdrew his latest Pokeball, releasing Magnemite out into the cave, who turned, watching the boy curiously.

"Hey, Magnemite." Zak began. "Well, I guess you already know that I traded you from Zeni, so... I wanted to give you your first command."

Magnemite looked at Zak, then flashed its magnets a bright yellow in a display of its eagerness to help. The Steel-type began making circles in the air, clearly impressed by its new trainer.

"Heh," Zak chuckled as he watched the Pokemon. "alright then, Magnemite: I need you to light this cave up with a Flash attack, please."

Magnemite did as commanded, allowing both Zak and Whitney a courtesy period to cover their eyes before igniting a blinding flash which left the area brightly illuminated so that the trainers could easily traverse the otherwise dangerous terrain. The creature's magnets flickered with power and lead the way as the two trainers began their search in silence.

Zak wasn't really sure how to approach Whitney. She had been silent on the ride over to the islands and since this morning she had seemingly refused to speak with him. Zak didn't want to antagonise her, so he had kept quiet, but now he was becoming concerned. He wasn't entirely sure what he had done wrong, but he hated to see her mad at him like this.

The two of them headed deeper into the caverns as the tunnel seemed to stretch down steeper and steeper. Zak was pretty certain that they had soon begun to pass below sea level, but all he could think of was how to approach Whitney.

He watched the girl from the corner of his eye as they continued their descent deeper into the cave. She continued to stare down at the floor, watching her feet as they wandered across the rocky scenery, a solemn expression on her face. She was entirely silent and seemed to want to keep to herself. Despite his best judgment, Zak began to speak up.

"Whitney, look..." he began nervously.

"Hmph." came the girl's response as she looked away from him.

"Whitney, what's wrong!?" Zak's voice grew louder now as he began to lose patience. "I don't understand what I've done."

"You wouldn't, would you?" Whitney snapped back, continuing to refuse eye contact with the boy.

"What's that supposed to mean!?" Zak demanded as they continued walking, the natural passageway which surrounded them now becoming much more narrow.

"It MEANS, Zak Vangard," Whitney hissed, stopping in her tracks and finally looking the boy directly in the eyes. "that you don't care about anyone but yourself!"

"Wh-" Zak stammered, taking a step back in shock. "What?"

"You heard me." Whitney growled, her entire body trembling with rage as the two of them stood there, facing off. "You think you can just go run up to Knite and get yourself killed and we won't care? That nothing will change!?"

"I..." Zak stuttered before getting interrupted again.

"How do you think I'm gonna feel!?" Whitney continued, her anger now steadily turning into sorrow as she began to weep on the spot. "If you go... If you leave me! Who am I gonna have left...?"

Zak was silent as he watched the girl slowly begin to cave into her tears. He lowered his guard and approached her slowly.

"I won't have anyone left..." she whimpered.

Zak slowly reached out his hand to try and touch her shoulder and comfort the girl, but he was quickly cut off by another snap.

"No!" Whitney cried, turning away from the boy and drying her eyes. "I promised myself I wouldn't cry anymore... And I won't. I..."

She turned back and continued heading down the path of the cavern, prompting Zak and Magnemite to follow her.

"I will not cry anymore." she whispered to herself.

"Whitney..." Zak sighed.

The two trainers continued to walk down in silence for a moment, until Zak had finally had enough. Without a second thought he grabbed the girl by her arm and pulled her close to him, wrapping his arms around her in a warm embrace. Whitney tried to pull away at first, startled by his sudden movement, but then slowly succumbed to her feelings and allowed herself to be held. She wiped her tears against the soft fabric of his shirt and gripped him tightly, leaning against his body and pressing her head against his chest so she could hear his heartbeat.

"Nothing's gonna happen to me," Zak reassured the girl. He couldn't help but smile as he felt her softly breathing in and out against him. "I promise."

"You promise?" the girl echoed, not moving an inch.

"I promise." Zak stated. "I'm going to fight Knite, and I'm going to win. We'll always be friends no matter what, and I want you to know that. Whenever you need something I'm going to be there for you."

Whitney said nothing, but Zak could tell that she was now smiling as she eased her grip off the boy's shirt and began to regain her composure. The two trainers looked into each other's eyes in a nodding glance to confirm the words that Zak had just said.

"Always." he added. "Now come on, we should go find Mewtwo before Knite does."

"Hey!" a voice yelled out from the darkness in front of them, causing Zak, Whitney and Magnemite to freeze in their tracks. "Isn't that them?"

"Yeah! Yeah it is!" a second voice chimed and frantic footsteps could be heard coming up the natural slope of the cave. "If we catch them, the mistress is sure to give us a big reward!"

"What the...?" Zak muttered upon seeing the figures of two men dressed in fine robes and armed with short swords. "Guardians!?"

"Well if it isn't the wayward young prince..." one of them men sneered, raising the tip of his sword towards Zak's general direction. "You're coming with us."

"Magnemite!" Zak ordered, pointing straight at the two guards. "Flash, now! Full power!"

Magnemite beeped in reply, zooming in close to the guards and charging up its magnets with a pure white energy. Zak hurriedly grabbed Whitney by the hand and dashed further down into the cave, refusing to look back.

"Cover your eyes!" he warned just before a blinding flash lit up the previous part of the cave. Magnemite quickly caught up with the two trainers, leading the way as the slope began to slowly return to a horizontal axis.

"Argh, my eyes!" Zak could hear the guards groaning in pain from above. "That little bastard!"

"Come on, let's keep moving!" Zak insisted, still holding Whitney's hand tightly in his own. Eventually they began to hear the sound of rushing water close by and they had reached a large clearing in the centre of the cave.

"How far down are we...?" Whitney gasped, admiring the beautiful scenery as Zak released her hand. The rocks here were all covered in beautiful shades of blue and green and the echoes in the background were as peaceful and tranquil as those found in any water garden.

"Far enough," a mysterious voice spoke up. "for it to be considered a watery grave."

Zak, Whitney and Magnemite all stared up towards the source of the voice, and were shocked to see Velcia stepping down from her large, ornate throne in the back of the room.

"Velcia..." Zak hissed, reaching for the hilt of his sword.

"Now is that any way to greet your mother, Zak?" Velcia sniggered, then cast her gaze on Whitney. "I see you're still messing around with this FARM girl..."

"What's wrong with being a farm girl!?" Whitney snapped back, clenching her fist angrily.

"Where's Yuki?" Zak demanded. "And Mewtwo? What are you up to?"

"Your fiancŽe is right here, Zak." Velcia responded, raising her arm and drawing attention to the large, rusty cage which hung suspended from the cavern's ceiling. Inside was an exhausted Yuki, who stared down towards Zak and Whitney with weary eyes.

"Zak!" the girl called down, grabbing the bars and shaking them violently. "Get out right now! It's a trap!"

"We're not leaving without you, Yuki!" Zak called back, then glared straight into Velcia's eyes.

"Ah, so you have forgiven her for leading you astray..." Velcia muttered, smiling, her eyes trailing down to the floor. "Then all is well. The two of you shall reclaim Raikou and fulfill your destinies as rulers of Johto!"

"You're still talking about that!?" Zak asked, shocked.

"I know you will be a fine ruler, Zak," Velcia continued, approaching the two trainers who stood at the opposite end of the room. "but you should be careful of your wife, she is fueled by her hormones too much for own good."

"I've heard enough!" Zak growled, removing the communicator Lance had given him from his pocket and firmly pressing down on the 'talk' button with his thumb as he spoke into the microphone. "This is Zak, I've found Yuki and Velcia."

The boy removed his thumb from the button and heard nothing but static in response. He stared at the unit shakily, before trying again.

"Hello?" he tried.

Click. Static.

"Damn thing!" he mumbled, shaking the device and trying once more, only to be greeted by static once again. "This is no time to be breaking on us!"

"I'm afraid it isn't broken, Zak." Velcia explained, smiling subtly. "I didn't want any interferences, so I sent my Guardians to get rid of your little friends. It's just you, me and Alakazam."

As Velcia spoke she moved her hands behind her to draw attention to the Psychic-type Pokemon which stood there, groaning under the weight of its own power as it continued to project a highly concentrated beam of psychic energy into the outside world.

"Dammit..." Zak muttered. "So it was a trap... Mewtwo isn't even here, is it!?"

"Come to me, my son." Velcia replied, holding out her arms to the boy.

Zak began to draw his sword in response, but was then stopped by Whitney, who readied a Pokeball in her hand.

"Go rescue Yuki, Zak." she ordered, a smile forming on her lips.

"Huh?" Zak stuttered. "But Whitney... What are you doing?"

"Showing this old lady what a farm girl can do!" Whitney laughed before throwing the Pokeball straight towards Velcia's face, who narrowly avoided the attack and rolled to the floor. As the Pokeball collided with the rocky ground it split apart, revealing the girl's Grass-type Pokemon, Bellossom, which turned to face its enemy, narrowing its eyes and pumping its fists in preparation for the oncoming battle.

"Why... You little..." Velcia snarled, getting to her feet and launching a Pokeball of her own. "Go, Crobat!"

The ball released its contents before Whitney's Bellossom, sending out a huge, bat-like Pokemon with powerful, leathery wings and sharp, vicious fangs. The creature hovered in the air for a moment, beating its wings and glaring down at its victim whilst it awaited its first orders.

"Zak, go!" Whitney demanded. "I'll take care of this!"

Zak's eyes turned to the Pokemon, then to Velcia, then back to Whitney. He hesitated for a second, then eventually removed his hand from the hilt of his sword and nodded, accepting Whitney's plan.

"Right." he agreed, then dashed up towards the throne, looking up towards Yuki's cage which was suspended high above the ground.

"There's a crank behind the throne!" Yuki explained, her voice hurried.

Zak said nothing before he headed behind the throne, searching frantically for the lever that Yuki was describing. The room was dark back here, the only sources of light coming from the attacks of Whitney and Velcia's Pokemon, causing shadows to flicker back and forth against the walls.

"Magnemite!" Zak called. "We need some light over here!"

Within an instant Magnemite appeared behind the trainer, projecting sparks of electricity in order to help Zak better search the area. It didn't take long for Zak to find the large metal crank, which he began to turn in a clockwise direction, slowly lowering Yuki's cage down towards the ground.

Zak continued to heave at the crank and eventually the steel cage arrived at the floor with a loud crunching sound as it hit the soil and rocks underneath it. Zak darted over to where Yuki was imprisoned, grabbing her hand in-between the narrow, rusted bars.

"Yuki!" he panted, a smile returning to his face. "Are you okay? You're not hurt are you?"

"No, Zak, I'm fine, but-" Yuki flinched as a loud crash could be heard from the battle between Velcia and Whitney - Bellossom had just been thrown against the far wall and Whitney had been forced to replace it with her Mareep. "The cage is locked, and I don't know where she keeps the key!"

"We don't need a key." Zak replied confidently, removing his sword from its sheath and aiming it towards the large padlock on the side of the cage door. "Stand back, Yuki!"

Yuki obeyed the boy, then watched as he brought the sword down with one quick swoop. The blade seemed to sing as it flew through the air, slicing through the rusty gold padlock as if it were made of butter. The metal of the lock fell to the floor with a loud clang and the door to the cage swung open on one hinge. Zak immediately rushed inside to greet Yuki, taking her hand and helping her to exit the cage. Yuki simply squeezed the boy's palm gently in response and smiled warmly at him.

"I..." she muttered, trying not to laugh to herself. "I didn't need rescuing, you know. I mean, uh, I could've escaped on my own..."

"Yuki..." Zak chuckled. "You're too damn stubborn for your own good sometimes, y'know that?"

"I guess so..." Yuki returned as she stared into the boy's eyes. She could feel a fluttering sensation in her heart and she began to lean her face closer to his, her grip on Zak's hand tightening with every passing second as time seemed to slowly grind to a halt all around them.

Another loud slam woke the two trainers from their daydream, and both looked over to see that Velcia's Crobat had now fallen to the power of Mareep's Thunderbolt attacks. Zak hesitated for a moment - for some reason this cage didn't seem such a bad place to be - but he knew they had to act quickly.

"Come on!" he insisted, helping Yuki onto her feet and out of their steel surroundings.

Once they were out of the cage, Yuki headed straight for the throne, where she retrieved her trademark halberd which had been left propped up against the side of the cage crank. Meanwhile Zak closely watched as Whitney's battle continued to unfold, silently urging and willing her to win.

Velcia recalled Crobat back into its Pokeball, then shuffled in her robes for her second choice of Pokemon. Silently the woman threw this next Pokeball down into the centre of the arena, revealing an unusual Pokemon possessing a vaguely humanoid figure and pale blue skin. Just below where its feet seemed to merge into a single limb was a large, flat tail coloured black and decorated with what appeared to be two comical white eyes which seemed to stare endlessly into space. The creature wore a puzzled expression on its large, blue face, its eyes tightly shut as it slapped itself on the head with a fingerless hand.

"Wobb!" it declared loudly. "Wobbuffet!!"

"What the heck is that thing...?" Zak wondered out loud, removing his Pokedex from his rucksack and pointing it directly at the creature.

"Wobbuffet," the device announced in its forever monotone voice. "the Shadow Tag Pokemon. This Pokemon will never naturally attack another Pokemon, even if it is provoked."

"Wobbuffet, huh?" Zak read the additional information from his Pokedex screen. "Says here it's a Psychic-type..." Zak then proceeded to put away the Pokedex and continued to watch, his eyes locked intently on Whitney's worried face. "Be careful, Whitney..."

'Dammit...' Whitney thought to herself, gritting her teeth as she stared cautiously at her new opponent. 'I've never battled against a Wobbuffet before. I can't even remember what type the damn thing is...'

"Mareep, Thunderbolt!!" Whitney commanded, pointing directly towards Velcia's Pokemon.

Mareep squealed its confirmation of the girl's orders, then tensed its body, releasing another large jolt of lightning which hurtled towards Wobbuffet at an incredible speed.

"Wobbuffet, Mirror Coat!" Velcia ordered.

Just as Mareep's electrical attack collided against Wobbuffet's skin the Psychic-type became enveloped by a bright blue aura which reflected the attack and sent it tumbling straight back towards Mareep. Both the Electric-type and its trainer gasped, their faces awash with deep confusion as the attack slammed into its creator, sending the small creature skidding across the floor and rendering it instantly unconscious.

"Dammit!" Whitney cursed under her breath before recalling Mareep back into its Pokeball. She cradled the small sphere in her arms for a moment, then readied her third choice of Pokeball. "You did a great job Mareep, but now you need a rest. Alright..." Whitney turned her gaze back towards Velcia before throwing down another Pokeball into the cave. "It's your turn, Miltank!!"

The Pokeball opened up in mid-air, spewing out a beam of light which twisted into the shape of Whitney's star Pokemon, Miltank. The creature mooed gently, eying the enemy cautiously.

"Miltank, Rollout!" Whitney insisted.

"Wobbuffet, Counter!" Velcia called back towards her own Pokemon.

"Argh, I can't find it anywhere!" Yuki's voice recaptured the attention of Zak, who spun around on the spot to face the girl. He could see Yuki frantically searching high and low in the area of the throne for something, but just what exactly he didn't know.

"Find what?" he questioned, stepping up towards her in an offer to help the girl look for whatever it was she had misplaced.

"The sword of lightning!" Yuki explained, turning to face the boy.

"Y'mean that broad sword Velcia gave you during the ceremony in the Ruins of Alph?" Zak confirmed.

Yuki nodded.

"But why would you need that?" he continued, puzzled. "Raikou's already been captured, nobody needs it anymore."

"Oh, Zak..." Yuki sighed, turning around again and resuming her search for the weapon. "When we get Raikou back from Knite we're going to have to let it go free. But if we just leave the swords lying around then somebody who knows the legend well enough could easily go about summoning it again. We've got to keep them safe, so we can keep Raikou out of harm's way!"

Just as Zak began to help Yuki search for the sword, a loud crashing of rock and debris could be heard from the western side of the large cavern. Everybody in the room, humans and Pokemon alike, all turned on the spot to see what had caused the rocks on the western wall of the room to cave in, and Zak was relieved to see it was none other than the team of Geol, Lance and Zeni, each standing tall and proud on top of the newly created pile of debris, each with one of their Pokemon standing before them, ready to take on any opponents foolish enough to get in their way.

"Dad!" Zak called over, smiling. "Lance, Zeni! When I tried to contact you, I-"

"We got into a spot of bother in the other caves." Geol explained, chuckling to himself. "It seems there were still a few Guardians of Raikou we didn't know about. But we managed to take care of things."

"Dammit, Geol!" Velcia hissed, backing away towards the southern entrance of the cave. "You've ruined my plans for the last time! I WILL see my children sitting on the thrones of Johto; you cannot stop my destiny!!"

Geol and Lance both began to advance towards Velcia with their Pokemon, Golem and Dragonair, at their sides, causing Velcia to back away even more, though she was reluctant to flee the cave as that would mean abandoning her own Pokemon. Meanwhile Zeni approached Zak and Yuki with a small, light-brown Pokemon at his side. The creature stood around three feet high and was covered in large, fine spikes, and on its feet and hands it possessed huge, powerful-looking claws. Zak immediately recognised it as being a Sandslash: the evolved form of Sandshrew.

"Zeni!" Zak greeted the boy. "What's with the Sandslash?"

"Oh, you mean this little guy?" Zeni answered back, grinning wildly. "It just happened to evolve from my Sandshrew while we were kicking SERIOUS GUARDIAN ASS."

"So Velcia," Geol began as he was now only a few feet away from the woman. "I'm curious - how did you survive the cave-in at the Ruins of Alph?"

"Did you really think a few rocks could stop me, Geol?" Velcia spat back defiantly. "I had Alakazam use its Teleport attack just before the rocks hit us. Yes, it was close, I admit, but as I keep trying to tell you, destiny is a powerful force."

"I'm afraid you're going to have to take a rain-check on that destiny of yours, lady." Lance interrupted, approaching the woman as she recalled her Wobbuffet back into its Pokeball. "On behalf of the Johto special police force I'm arresting you on charges of conspiracy, kidnapping, poaching, treason-"

"Don't make me laugh, you fool!" Velcia snarled, before calling out to her Pokemon in the far corner of the cave. "Alakazam! Teleport us out of here!"

There was a long silence and the sound of rushing water could be heard echoing in the caves all around them. Velcia's glare slowly began to fade into a look of extreme panic as she looked over towards the Psychic-type Pokemon which continued to emanate a large psychic resonance but had apparently ignored her latest command.

"What are you waiting for!?" the woman screeched. "ALAKAZAM, USE TELEPORT NOW!!"

The creature didn't even flinch - its eyes were open, but it was as if it were in a trance and couldn't hear the woman. Velcia's panic began to grow, then suddenly everyone in the room gasped as they saw the translucent figure of a Misdreavus begin to flicker above the Alakazam's head, grinning madly with wide, blood-red eyes and a shadowy black, hollow mouth.

"What's going on?" Geol stammered, then was cut off by the sound of a familiar voice's laughter.

Suddenly the figure of Knite fell to the ground, his hand stretched out in front to balance him and his large, orange wings spreading out several feet from his body. Slowly the boy rose to his feet and he flashed that same, depraved grin he had shown Zak in the Team Rocket laboratory headquarters.

"And once again your plan has backfired, Velcia!" Knite cackled; his sharp, arrow-tipped tail carving numerous patterns and marks into the sandy ground beneath his feet. "I must commend you, though... Trying to trick me into believing that Mewtwo was HERE of all places. Your Alakazam's psychic powers certainly are strong, yes... But that is just ridiculous."

"Knite!" Zak growled, drawing his sword again and preparing for an attack.

"Don't even bother, Vangard," Knite smirked, refusing to even look at the boy who threatened him. "I have no time for you."

"Knite, give this up!" Geol warned, taking a step forward as Lance restrained Velcia. "No man can control Mewtwo - history has proven that much!"

"You're forgetting one thing, Geol..." Knite purred, craning his head to a forty-five degree angle and staring down at the man with those mad, wide eyes. "I am no man. I am an evolved being - half-Charizard, half-human. I am now far above anything your feeble mind could even begin to comprehend."

Knite then turned to face Velcia.

"The only reason I came here, Velcia," he continued. "was to make use of your Alakazam's extraordinary powers."

There was another brief moment of silence before Knite spoke up again.

"Misdreavus," he called. "begin channeling your energies out into the sky. Full power."

"No!!" Velcia screamed, trying desperately to break free of Lance's firm grip, but to no avail. "My Alakazam! If you channel too much energy through its body for too long it will die!"

"Then you'd better hope that Mewtwo arrives quickly." Knite sneered back. "Misdreavus, hurry. I have no time to waste on these vermin."

Misdreavus silently complied with its master's orders, its eyes fading from red to black as it focused and began to channel all of its energy into the body of Alakazam, amplifying both of their powers into one vessel and having Alakazam blast it out in the form of a beam of pure, dark-purple energy. The beam itself let out an enormous explosion of sound which seemed to wrack the entirety of the Whirl Islands as it shot up towards the stratosphere, splitting and shaping the clouds around it like a terrible beacon of dark and forbidden power.

"And so it begins..." Knite chuckled, watching with wonder in his eyes at the sheer power the Pokemon were producing. "Mewtwo won't be able to resist this..."

"You son of a bitch!!" Zak cried, leaping away from the throne and aiming his sword directly for Knite's head as he began to bring it down in one precise, powerful swoop.

"Zak, no!" Geol shouted, but he knew he was already too late.

Zak felt a powerful kick to his stomach and he wretched in mid-air, pivoting on top of Knite's foot. His grip on the hilt of his sword began to slip and the steel of the blade clattered to the floor before Knite effortlessly sent him flying into the rocky wall of the cavern.

"Zak!!" Yuki screamed, trying to rush over towards him as Zeni restrained her.

Knite approached the boy slowly, his footsteps echoing throughout the hollow caves of the Whirl Islands, his fists clenched tightly and his tail dragging behind him. Eventually he reached the place where Zak lay, hunched over and coughing fiercely.

"You've been a thorn in my side since the very beginning..." Knite hissed, his face emotionless as he stared down at the boy. "No matter what I do you just won't stay out of my way, will you?"

Zak gagged as he felt Knite's powerful, clawed hand squeeze his neck tightly and lift him up off the ground, pulling him up so that their eyes were level with each other.

"Zak, no!!" Whitney yelled, rushing towards the two trainers only to be stopped firmly by Geol.

"I guess the only way to get rid of you..." Knite whispered softly in the boy's ear. "...Is to kill you."

Zak kept his eyes closed. His breath was ragged and his heart was pounding - he was absolutely terrified, but he refused to surrender. Not when he had all his friends here...

Suddenly Zak coughed loudly, feeling the powerful sting of a punch thrown straight into his gut. The boy lurched over again, his eyes open wide as Knite continued to hold him in place.

"You're just a boy," Knite continued to snarl. "what do you think you can possibly do?"

Again Zak felt a punch to his stomach and his eyes began to roll. A third, a fourth, a fifth, a sixth, until eventually the boy began to cough up a small amount of blood. The red liquid smeared itself across the rocks and sand of the cavern floor and Knite allowed Zak to stare down at it for a moment before dropping his body and watching him fall into it.

"...You're not worth my time." Knite spat, kicking Zak in the ribs before walking back into the centre of the room, reveling in the terrified but defiant glares which the rest of the team gave him. "Tamara."

"Yes, sir?" the young girl responded, making her presence known at the southern entrance of the cavern, just behind Lance and Velcia.

"Deal with these pests," Knite demanded. "I don't want any interruptions when Mewtwo arrives."

"Yes, sir." Tamara agreed, readying a Pokeball in her hand and then throwing it down in front of her, revealing the intimidating image of her Solrock for everyone in the room to see. "Please don't resist; I don't want to have to kill you all unnecessarily."

Geol drew his weapon, a modest short sword, and nodded to Golem, who bravely stepped towards the Solrock which stared at the Rock-type Pokemon with warning in its eyes.

It was not long before Golem was joined by Zeni's Sandslash and Whitney's Miltank in battle. Yuki also sent out her Haunter and even Zak's Magnemite, without receiving any orders, decided to join the fray. The Pokemon all surrounded Tamara's Solrock, their eyes narrowing on the creature, letting it know that they meant business.

"As you wish..." Tamara sighed solemnly. "Solrock, use Flamethrower on the Magnemite."

The battle commenced in a fiery explosion of sounds and colours, whilst Knite simply floated up towards the throne and watched idly as the events unfolded before him.

It wasn't long, however, until a new figure arrived on the scene...

It was unmistakable once Mewtwo had arrived: the storm clouds outside seemed to subside, the air in the cavern seemed to grow lighter and a powerful sense of awe swept across every human and Pokemon alike.

Knite looked directly above him and saw the creature for the very first time - the most powerful legendary Pokemon of them all: Mewtwo.

"So you finally showed." Knite whispered, smiling to himself as he signalled for Misdreavus to cease the psychic beacon.

Mewtwo was an impressive creature to behold: it possessed the most incredible pearly-white skin and was shaped in an almost perfect replica of the human body. Parts of its skin were stretched and contorted around various protrusions on its body, most notably the curved tube running down the back of its neck, which Knite knew housed immense psychic powers. Mewtwo stared down at Knite with glowing, purple eyes, and a single voice pulsated into every nearby human's head.

"I have sensed... A disturbance." the voice said eerily, echoing as it spoke.

"I summoned you here, Mewtwo." Knite announced, flapping his wings and approaching the creature, making sure their eyes were level with one another.

The Pokemon battle being waged below had by now ceased, and everyone was staring up at the creature in awe as it surveyed Knite with an unimpressed look on its face.

"I am not summoned by anything but myself." Mewtwo's voice replied, still echoing inside everyone's head.

"You are now." Knite retorted.

Mewtwo appeared to frown at this.

"You are neither human nor Pokemon..." it continued, its voice now sounding somewhat confused. "What are you?"

By now Zak had managed to get to his feet. His head was pounding and he found it difficult to breathe, but he didn't allow any of these symptoms to stop him from witnessing the most powerful legendary Pokemon of all time.

"I am an evolved being," Knite explained calmly. "born from the DNA of both humans and Pokemon."

"Intriguing..." Mewtwo admitted, looking the boy up and down. "But that does not explain this strange, psychic disturbance I have felt."

"I needed to lure you here," Knite chuckled, drawing his lance. "and now that you're here I am going to capture you, Mewtwo!"

"Hmph," Mewtwo's voice mocked the boy telepathically. "that is an impossibility."

"We'll see about that!" Knite taunted back, swiping at the creature with his lance, only to see it faze out of sight and back into view behind him.

Mewtwo charged a purple sphere of light in its hands, then proceeded to fire this directly into the back of Knite's body at point-blank range. Knite grunted at the impact, feeling an intense burning sensation, but refused to flinch and continued his mid-air battle with the creature, chasing in-between stalactites and counterattacking when appropriate. Mewtwo was clearly a powerful opponent, but it lacked the training and natural, cunning instinct which Knite had developed over the years.

The battle lasted for almost half an hour, the two combatants weaving in and out of obstacles, Mewtwo attacking with psychic blasts whilst Knite loosed streams of fire at the opponent from afar, slashing with his lance whenever he was within range. Eventually Knite managed to pin the creature inbetween two stalactites, allowing the boy to severely wound Mewtwo with a close-range fire attack. It was then that he knew he had it.

Removing a small black and yellow Pokeball from his belt, Knite readied the device, kicking down on Mewtwo's neck and pinning it in place. Just as he threw the Pokeball at it Mewtwo disappeared, then reappeared behind him, managing to hit the boy with yet another psychic blast which forced Knite to plummet down to the floor, wounded.

Knite slowly got back to his feet, though he wasn't quick enough to notice that Mewtwo had sent a powerful attack careening into the cavern's ceiling in an attempt to bury the boy underneath rubble. This psychic attack dislodged a large stalactite and sent piles of debris falling down into the room below, directly towards Knite.

"Knite, no!" Tamara cried, dashing towards the boy and shoving him out of the way just in time to avoid Mewtwo's attack. Knite growled as he rolled across the cavern floor and turned angrily on the spot, then allowed his anger to fade and his eyes to widen at what he saw before him.

Tamara was lying face-down on the floor, trying desperately to get up despite the pain which coursed through her entire body. Much of her body was covered in only light debris, but the stalactite had pierced directly through her lower torso, narrowly avoiding her spine and breaking several ribs in the process. The girl coughed, tears welling up in her eyes as she could do nothing but watch the pool of blood below her which was rapidly expanding in size. She could feel nothing but pain and yet she could only think of one person as she lied there, silently knowing her fate.

"Knite..." she breathed, reaching out for the boy who simply stared at her with wide eyes.

"...Tamara..." he gasped under his breath.

"Tamara!" Zak yelled, dashing over to the girl and kneeling at her side. "Tamara! Just... Just hold on, we'll get a doctor... Or something... We'll... We'll get someone..."

"Thank you... Zak..." Tamara coughed, trying her best not to scream in agony as the tears flowed down her face. "But please... Please look after my Pokemon... And... And Spheal, too..."

"No, Tamara..." Zak reassured the girl. "You're not going to die, don't start saying your goodbyes yet!"

"I'm not sad, Zak..." Tamara insisted, managing a smile as she watched Knite fly back up towards the ceiling. He was quickly becoming exhausted, though he refused to give up, and eagerly continued the chase. "I just wish we could have met... Under different circumstances... Maybe then we could have been... Friends..."

"Don't waste your energy," Zak ordered. "you're going to need it."

"It's okay, really..." Tamara whispered as her breathing became lighter. "Zak, thank you... But I'm just happy I got to help Knite... Live his dream..."

"Tamara, please!" Zak hushed her, his voice now beginning to tremble as he felt her pulse slow.

"Thank you..." the girl gasped for her final breath until she finally slumped to the ground.

'I love you...' Tamara's thoughts remained as everything else faded to black. 'Knite...'

"No..." Zak sobbed, his hands trembling as he slowly let go of the girl and stared up at Knite and Mewtwo, who were both continuing their battle as if nothing had happened. "NO!!!"

Knite had finally managed to kick the creature against the wall, causing Mewtwo to flinch and lose concentration just long enough for the boy to hit it with the Pokeball. Mewtwo's eyes widened in shock, and the room was then filled with a brilliant white light which forced everyone to shield their eyes until it faded away, leaving only a Pokeball in its wake.

Knite swooped down towards the Pokeball, catching it in both hands before admiring it for a moment, his anger slipping away before he broke out into maniacal laughter.

"Yes..." he cackled, holding the Pokeball out towards him and admiring it in the light. "After all these years... It's finally mine!!"

"KNITE!!" Zak screamed, stepping up towards the throne with his sword in his hand and glaring at the boy who flew above him, just out of reach. "You're going to pay for letting Tamara die! And for everyone else you've made suffer!!"

"You're persistent aren't you, Vangard?" Knite replied, clipping the Pokeball to his belt. "Then I shall oblige you."

"Zak..." Whitney began, stepping forward.

"Stay back, Whitney!" Zak growled, his eyes not moving from Knite.

"Two days from now." Knite suggested, smiling down at the boy. "On the highest point of Mount Silver. You and I will battle one-on-one. No tricks, no help - just you and me and our Pokemon."

"How do I know you'll show up?" Zak questioned.

"Because you now know how much I want to kill you." Knite answered, his smile fading and his emotionless face returning. "Just know that once we're done, I'll finish my plan."

"Fine." Zak hissed. "It'll all end in two days."

"So be it." Knite accepted, then recalled his Misdreavus back into its Pokeball before flying out of the cave and into the stormy sky.


	33. Training Day: Pokémon Unite!

Cold, flat white walls invaded Zak's vision from every angle. The cleanliness of the Olivine city hospital was almost too perfect and the air felt heavy with the smell of citrus and sanitation. His ears were under constant bombardment from the sounds which surrounded him: stretcher wheels rolling; machine readouts beeping; feet stomping through the halls. He felt as if he were on display; sitting on that chair in the waiting area, his bag firmly against the wall and his eyes staring at the floor.

The Olivine city hospital seemed more like a local clinic than a large-scale medical centre. The city was still small and as a result the hospital shared its size. Normally this would have worried Zak, but as soon as the group had explained the situation to the nurses on duty Tamara was admitted and given a room right away.

Eventually a pair of footsteps stopped just before reaching the boy, causing him to look up and see the solemn face of his father.

"How is she?" Zak asked, his voice filled with worry. "Is she gonna by okay?"

"The doctors are doing all they can, Zak." Geol replied. "Let's just say she's in a... Critical condition."

"But she'll be alright, right?" Zak pressed, getting to his feet. "Right?"

"I'm not a doctor, Zak, it's impossible for me to say." Geol sighed. "She has a very serious wound; she's lucky to still be breathing."

"She's breathing?" Zak echoed, a look of hope crossing his eyes.

"Barely." Geol answered. "Come on, Zak. We can't do anything for her from here."

Zak was silent as Geol put his arm around the boy and lead him out of the waiting room. Zak simply continued to stare down at the white floor as they walked, his mind completely focused on Tamara, willing her to recover.

Eventually the two of them reached the reception room where Lance, Zeni, Whitney and Yuki all waited patiently. Upon seeing their arrival, the group headed over, the three youngsters all asking questions, but Zak couldn't seem to hear them. To him their voices were simply distorted echoes and whines, and time seemed to be grinding to a halt as he walked past the crowd and outside, into the early evening light.

Geol watched the boy as he left, his face saddened.

"How do you think she'll be?" Lance whispered to the man once Whitney, Yuki and Zeni were out of earshot.

"That stalactite pierced right through her body, Lance..." Geol muttered back. "I'll be amazed if she survives the night..."

"Dammit!" Lance cursed under his breath, just loud enough to ensure Geol could hear him. "It isn't fair; she's just a child..."

"I never wanted them to see such things, Lance." Geol said quietly. "This should never have involved them."

The two men paused for a moment, their thoughts on Tamara, then Geol lead the way outside, where Zak stood leaning with his back against the wall of the building. Once he had noticed the group he turned to them, his face filled with determination.

"Let's go." he insisted.

"You're right," Geol agreed, "the best possible place to train for the battle would be at Mount Silver. It'll give your Pokemon and yourself time to adjust to the change in landscape and altitude."

Geol turned to Lance, before adding:

"Is that okay with you?"

"Absolutely." he replied.

"Then it's settled; we'll leave immediately." Geol announced, his eyes focusing on Zak, who in turn simply continued to stare at the ground, his mind focused on one single thing:

Defeating Knite.

* * *

"Knite Ferasim." the boy spoke into the electronic door mechanism located inside the elevator of Team Rocket's Viridian city headquarters.

"Identity confirmed through voice recognition," the device spoke back in a robotic voice as a hidden keypad revealed itself. "please enter destination."

Knite began to tap in a lengthy combination of keys before finally hitting the 'accept' button. He waited patiently as the elevator began to start up, steadily gaining speed as it moved towards the desired floor.

It wasn't long before the elevator arrived at its destination. With a loud ring to confirm its arrival the double doors of the transport slid open and Knite stepped out into the familiar territory of Team Rocket's underground laboratory, tubes and cylinders flashing all around him.

The laboratory remained the same as always: silent and menacing, with a faint hint of fluorescent blue lighting which hung from the ceiling and the occasional flashes of the surrounding electronic equipment. Knite continued to press further into the room, lead by the sounds of two familiar voices discussing their next strategy beside two large, vertical tubes.

Knite stepped out into the small clearing of the room, prompting the two men to turn and take notice of him. Both Giovanni and doctor Nanba looked pleased to see the boy, smiling deviously.

"Ah, Knite!" Giovanni greeted. "It's a surprise seeing you back so soon."

A look of sudden realisation then proceeded to flash across the man's face before he added:

"Did you... Capture Mewtwo already?"

"Yes." Knite replied simply. "And I need to use the transformation chamber again."

"Of course, of course!" Giovanni answered, the news of the legendary Pokemon's capture obviously bringing a huge smile to his face. "Nanba, make the preparations for our friend here, won't you?"

"Of course, sir." Nanba said, nodding respectfully to the suited man before turning to Knite. "I must warn you, Knite: we're still not entirely sure how the body will react to incorporating another Pokemon's DNA. It could be..."

The man's voice trailed off for a moment before he finished his sentence:

"...Dangerous."

There was an uncomfortable silence for the doctor as he tried not to make eye contact with Knite, the boy's almost hollow eyes seemingly glaring down at him.

"Uh... Anyway..." he continued. "What Pokemon will you be joining with?"

"Mewtwo." Knite replied calmly, causing the two men's eyes to widen in shock.

"Mewtwo!?" Giovanni repeated angrily. "Knite, I did not pay you to capture Mewtwo to destroy it for me! You will NOT be merging with THAT Pokemon! Guards!!"

"I also need Raikou back." Knite resumed, unable to help a sly smile cross his lips as he spoke.

"You impudent worm!" Giovanni spat, grabbing the boy's neck and winding up his right fist in preparation for a punch. Knite, however, seemed to simply ignore this threat, his eyes remaining locked on the doctor beside them.

"Ready the chamber for me, doctor." he ordered. "Now."

"You will do no such thing, Nanba!" Giovanni barked before throwing a punch towards Knite's face.

There was a loud slap as Giovanni's fist collided with Knite's waiting palm. Giovanni glared at the boy, who simply glared straight back into his eyes defiantly.

"Think about this for a moment, Giovanni..." Knite chuckled arrogantly. "Do you really want me to kill you myself?"

As Knite spoke the three men were quickly surrounded by a circle of Team Rocket grunts, all aiming several large automatic rifles at the boy, who seemed entirely unfazed, instead simply turning his palms up towards the ceiling and allowing his thoughts to focus on the ground as he closed his eyes gently.

Giovanni loosened his grip on the boy, throwing him to the floor and walking away. He and Nanba both quietly exited the gaze of the circle of grunts before Giovanni gave them his orders.

"Well?" the man growled. "What are you waiting for? Kill him!"

The sound of guns reloading echoed throughout the cavernous laboratory as the grunts all finalised the aim of their weaponry, the heat of thirty red sighting lasers burning on Knite's forehead.

He just smiled.

Suddenly the ground beneath the grunts erupted with flames, scorching and burning all who came near it. Horrified shrieks filled the air as the flames seemed to wrap and twist around every man and woman there, save for Giovanni and Nanba, who simply stared on in disbelief at the carnage taking place all around them.

Slowly Knite rose to his feet, still waving his palms gently in the air as if he were an orchestra conductor as he approached Giovanni, smiling.

"Don't worry," he insisted, "I can activate the chamber myself. But if any of you try to stop me, I will kill you."

"You little worm!" Giovanni yelled, dashing towards the boy, only to be stopped by a wall of fire which seemed to cut off the entire second half of the laboratory, burning any who came even remotely close to it. Giovanni watched helplessly as Knite removed the tranquilised Raikou from its cage, returning it to its Pokeball, then proceeded to boot up the transformation chamber himself, being sure to activate the automatic engaging and disengaging timer.

"Soon, Zak..." Knite whispered to himself amid the roaring flames in the background as he continued to type in numerous combinations on the transformation chamber's keyboard. "Soon you will know the meaning of true terror..."

* * *

"Are we all set?" Geol asked the group, who had all been packing their bags and finalising their Pokemon teams for the upcoming battle with Knite in two days' time.

Zak, Zeni, Yuki and Whitney all nodded in reply, then began to head off towards the front entrance of the Indigo Plateau Pokemon centre to begin the long journey up towards the top of the mountain. Geol was about to follow them, when suddenly he was stopped by Lance, who was holding the sword of lightning in his hands.

"Geol, I figured you should have this." the man explained. "When I took Velcia down to the police station they stripped her of all her possessions, including this."

Geol admired the sword for a moment, then took it in his hands, eying the fine craftsmanship of the blade.

"I know I can't even begin to understand the power of that thing," Lance continued, "so I decided to give it to the person who would best know about these things."

"That may be true, Lance," Geol admitted, "but this sword belongs to Yuki. I will give it to her and let her decide what is in the best interests of the sword."

"Very well," Lance agreed, bowing his head respectfully. "then I will thank you for all your help and wish you luck, Geol. I have Elite Four business to attend to in eastern Kanto and won't be able to watch the battle. Please wish Zak luck for me."

"I understand, Lance." Geol replied, shaking the man's hand warmly. "Please take care."

Geol watched as Lance headed towards the employee's lounge located beyond the front desk where nurse Joy was stationed before making his own way to the entrance where Zak, Zeni, Whitney and Yuki were all waiting patiently. Upon reaching the group, he handed the sword to Yuki, who seemed both shocked and thrilled to see it back in her possession. Geol then proceeded to hand Zak a small, crumpled up map before speaking up.

"I have some business to take care of here," the man explained, "but there's a small cottage further up the mountain where you kids can stay for the next few days."

Zak looked up at his father, clearly confused.

"What about you?" he asked.

"I'll be there in the morning of the battle to wake you kids up." Geol answered, smiling. "Make sure you get a lot of training done, Zak."

Zak nodded, smiling back confidently. Zak, Zeni, Whitney and Yuki all said their goodbyes and then exited the building, heading up into the steep hills of Mount Silver, the morning sun shining down on them from high above.

* * *

Another powerful blast of lightning scorched the ground and illuminated the clouds in the sky above, causing Zak and the others to flinch, covering their eyes with their sleeves. The attack lasted for several seconds before eventually settling down, revealing the battlefield and its occupants once more.

"Keep at it, Magnemite!" Zak called over to the small Steel-type which continued to hover undeterred in the centre of the field. "Your Thunderbolt's getting more and more powerful by the second!"

"Huh," Whitney mused as she watched the boy continue to battle against Zeni's Snorlax from afar, "I've never seen Zak this determined before. He's been training non-stop for almost six hours now!"

"I know." Yuki replied, before smiling. "If he keeps going like this, Knite's not gonna know what hit him after tomorrow!"

Meanwhile, both Zak and Zeni continued to savour their tense Pokemon battle. The heat of the midday sun had long since disappeared and evening was fast approaching, yet despite the tiredness of both sides, both the trainers and their Pokemon refused to quit. Zak felt a drop of sweat roll down his forehead before he pointed back towards Zeni's Snorlax and announced his next move.

"Magnemite!" he commanded. "Swift, now!"

"Snorlax!" Zeni countered defiantly. "Use Hyper Beam on the ground to create a diversion!"

Snorlax roared loudly, then blasted the ground mere inches in front of its feet, causing massive tremors which shook the earth all around them and sending huge clouds of debris flying up just in time to deflect the miniature stars of Magnemite's attack away from the creature.

"Zeni!!" Whitney yelled, grabbing onto a nearby tree for stability. "Are you trying to cause an avalanche!?"

"Hey, it worked, didn't it?" Zeni chuckled back, grinning to himself.

"Don't be so sure!" Zak returned. "Magnemite, use Lock-on, then attack with Thunder!!"

"Wha!?" Zeni coughed in surprise. "That's no fair!"

Magnemite's single, mechanical eye was able to quickly identify Snorlax's organic body through the falling piles of dirt and debris without any trouble and immediately began to summon its power in the form of a gigantic electrical storm. Magnemite shot a beam of lightning up into the clouds above, which quickly rumbled, amplifying the Steel-type Pokemon's power and sending it directly down onto the unsuspecting Snorlax. All Zeni could do was watch helplessly as Snorlax collapsed onto the ground, unconscious.

"Well, Zeni," Whitney laughed, "looks like your last Pokemon just bit the dust."

"Hey, I've got all day tomorrow to beat you," Zeni sighed, "so don't get too cocky, Zak."

"I'll look forward to it." Zak answered, grinning as the clouds above them began to rumble ominously, causing the others to all stare up towards the sky.

"Looks like a storm is approaching." came a metallic voice from up in the trees, startling everyone, who proceeded to look up and see the ever-unsettling form of Scizor lurking on a nearby branch.

"Scizor..." Zak greeted the Pokemon, who was the only Pokemon he had yet to train today. Of course he had never quite gotten used to having it obey him, and so the thought of asking the creature to train with him always made him rather nervous. After all, this was a Pokemon which could speak, and often would say things far wiser than Zak could ever think of. For Zak to expect to control such a powerful creature would be foolish. And yet, they had to train together sooner or later...

"I was hoping to request some sparring before the rain arrived, master." Scizor announced before leaping from the branch of the tree where he sat and down onto the scorched grass below. "Would that be okay with you?"

"I..." Zak was speechless for a few seconds as he tried to come to terms with what he had just heard. "O-of course!" Zak then turned to face the others. "Any of you up for another round?"

"Actually..." Scizor interrupted. "I was hoping to fight against you. Yourself."

"Me?" Zak stammered uneasily. "But... You'd tear me apart! You're made of steel!"

"You'd be using your sword, master." Scizor answered, trying not to groan as he did so. "Geol and I used to do it all the time in preparation for an important battle."

"Please," Zak chuckled nervously, "just call me Zak. And sure, I'd be happy to spar with you if that's the case."

"Excellent." Scizor laughed, a smile evident on his steel face as he assumed a fighting stance, his claws lowered in order to best guard his face. "Then please, don't hold back."

There was a satisfying click as Zak began to slowly remove his sword from its sheath, admiring the blade as it sparkled in the light of the late afternoon. He then lowered his own stance, readying the sword in his hand and pointing it towards his opponent.

"You ready?" he asked, to which Scizor nodded in confirmation.

The whole group seemed to hold their breath as they watched the two face off. Whitney in particular wasn't sure how she should feel. She knew that she had no real reason to be afraid of the creature, but all she could think of when she looked into Scizor's cold, soulless eyes was that day in Goldenrod Gym when it refused to obey any of Zak's commands. The way it continued to relentlessly attack Miltank even after it had submitted; the bloodlust she saw in Scizor's eyes that day reminded her of...

Whitney gasped to herself, then quickly pretended to cough as she noticed Zeni and Yuki eying her curiously.

Yes, that was it! The look in Scizor's eyes on that day was identical to Knite's when he was attacking Zak in the Whirl Islands cave! And yet now Scizor looked so composed: so calm and collected. It all made Whitney wonder... How different were the two? How different were Knite and Scizor?

"Then let's go!" Zak cried before breaking out into a dash and sprinting straight towards the Steel-type, who refused to move even an inch.

As soon as Zak was in range he swung down with the blade of his sword, causing the air to split at his every movement. Scizor simply lunged backwards to avoid this, then charged back towards Zak, readying his right claw before swinging it down towards Zak's neck.

"I'm not sure if this is such a great idea, you guys..." Whitney muttered, causing Zeni and Yuki to both give her a strange look.

"What do you mean?" Zeni questioned the girl. "They're professionals; nobody's gonna get hurt."

"I just..." Whitney sighed as she tried to formulate the words correctly. "I'm not sure if I trust Scizor."

"Trust Scizor?" Zeni echoed. "It's a Pokemon. What's trust got to do with it? It's not gonna hurt its master."

"Despite its appearance," Yuki spoke up, "I think Scizor is a gentle soul. After all, it was Geol's once. I think he's taught it well."

"Hm..." Whitney mumbled back as Zak narrowly avoided another attack from the Steel-type. "Maybe..."

"I told you not to hold back!" Scizor hissed as he swung a roundhouse kick towards Zak's chin, which the boy managed to avoid by an inch.

"But!" Zak protested, performing a quick backflip out of the way of one of Scizor's claws which was aimed directly for his neck again.

"But nothing, Zak!" Scizor growled, dashing towards the boy and continuing his assault with a flurry of claws and kicks. "You must become a master worthy of inheriting me, and that will not happen if you continue to hold back!"

"But I don't want to hurt you!" Zak began to shout, his voice growing louder as his anger began to take over him.

"If I get hurt," Scizor replied, sending a punch towards Zak's face only to have it blocked by the steel of the sword of thunder in Zak's hands, "then I am not worthy of being your Pokemon!"

Zak growled to himself at this, then proceeded to continue parrying Scizor's attacks with the surprisingly powerful blade of his sword.

"I'm not holding back with you!" Scizor continued, kicking again. "What makes you think Knite will?"

'Knite...' the name echoed inside of Zak's mind and it took several seconds before he could fully register what had been said by the Pokemon.

"FINE!!" Zak yelled, dodging another punch from Scizor, only this time he made sure to slam his foot down onto Scizor's metal wrist. Scizor was shocked by this sudden maneuver and caught off-guard, giving Zak sufficient time to bring his other foot slamming directly into Scizor's face and sending the creature reeling onto the floor.

"Ah..." Scizor managed as he spun back onto his feet and resumed his posture. "Finally!"

Zak was breathing heavily, but continued to hold his sword, ready for any attack Scizor might throw his way.

"But remember, Zak," Scizor continued, "don't lose yourself to anger. That's the first rule to remember in any battle."

Zak nodded. He understood now - this sparring match wasn't for Scizor's benefit - it was for his. After the Pokemon battle with Knite it was obvious that the two of them would have to fight one-on-one, and Knite was almost a Pokemon himself now. So this is how it would feel...

"Keep your guard up!" Scizor commented, lunging forward again and sending a flurry of claw attacks directly towards his trainer. "That's it - good! Raise your sword a little! Keep shifting your weight! Perfect, perfect!"

"Wow, I never realised how cool Zak was before now." Zeni noted from afar as he, Whitney and Yuki continued to watch the battle closely.

"He is..." Yuki agreed, smiling to herself.

Whitney watched Yuki from the corner of her eye for a moment, then returned her gaze to the battle between Zak and Scizor. She was confident in Zak's abilities, of course, but even so she felt an indescribable sense of dread filling her stomach at the thought of the inevitable fight between Zak and Knite. Would any of this training even be enough? After all, he was not only part-Charizard, but also had the world's most powerful Pokemon at his disposal.

There was one thing Whitney was certain of, though; and that was that she would support Zak until the very end, no matter what might happen.


	34. Finale: Zak vs Knite

Lyrics and translation lifted from:

(AnimeLyrics dot com)/anime/shamanking/northernlights.htm

**kimi ni todoke, Northern lights...**  
_(Please reach you, Northern Lights...)_

**hikisakareta futatsu no kokoro,**  
_(Two souls torn apart,)_**  
yukiba no nai omoi ga mune o shimetsuke.**  
_(Feelings of nowhere to go strangle my heart.)_  
**naze kono toki ni deatta no ka to?**  
_(Why did we meet this day?)_  
**toikakeru sube wa,**  
_(The way to ask this question,)_  
**saeta kage ni chiru.**  
(Vanishes into clear shadow.)

**yuragu koto nai.**  
_(No need to waver.)_  
**tsuyosa na do naku,**  
_(Though without any strength,)  
_**susunda saki ni,**  
_(You can find answers that you're looking for,)_  
**motomeru kotae ga aru.**  
_(After you've moved on.)_

**ai mo tsumi mo yume mo yami mo,**  
_(Love, sin, dreams, and darkness,)_  
**ima subete mini matotte,**  
_(Wear all of them now,)_  
**kimi no chikara, boku no kokoro,**  
_(And at the moment when,)_  
**kasanariatta shunkan,**  
_(Your power and my heart overlap,)_  
**nani ga umareru...**  
_(Something will be born...)_  
**DO YOU BELIEVE IN DESTINY?**

**usu midori-iro no maboroshi ga,**  
_(Light-green illusion,)_  
**kono hoshi no kanashimi o yasashiku tsutsumu.**  
(Surrounds this planet's sadness softly.)  
**"onaji unmei o tadoru ka to?"**  
_("Are you going to follow the same destiny?")_  
**haru ga kanata kara**,  
_(Singing voices sounds,)_  
**uta koe ga hibiku.**  
_(From far, far away.)_

**akirameru ni wa,**  
_(It's too early,)_  
**mada hayasugiru.**  
_(To give up.)_  
**ori kasanatta,**  
_(Let's entrust your hope on,)_  
**hikari ni kibou no sete.**  
_(Folding lights.)  
_  
**soshite itsuka todoku yume o,  
**_(And just feel silently now,)  
_**ima shizuka ni kanji you.  
**_(Your dream which will come true sometime.)  
_**kimi no ketsui, boku no mayoi.  
**_(Your decision, my hesitation.)  
_**meguriai ga sashishimesu.  
**_(Believe in the way.)  
_**michi o shinjite.  
**_(That encounter indicates you.)  
_**I LIVE WITH FACING MY DESTINY.  
**  
**soshite itsuka todoku yume o,  
**_(And just feel silently now,)  
_**ima shizuka ni kanji you.  
**_(Your dream which will come true sometime.)  
_**kimi no ketsui, boku no mayoi.  
**_(Your dream, my hesitation.)  
_**meguriai ga sashishimesu...  
**_(Believe in the way...)  
_  
**ai mo tsumi mo yume mo yami mo.  
**_(Love, sin, dream, and darkness_.)  
**ima subete mini matotte,  
**_(Wear all of them now,)  
_**kimi no chikara boku no kokoro,  
**_(And at the moment when,)  
_**kasanariatta shunkan,  
**_(Your power and my heart overlap,)  
_**nani ga umareru...  
**_(Something will be born...)  
_**DO YOU BELIEVE IN DESTINY?  
**  


* * *

There was a knock on the front door of the old, wooden cottage, causing Zak to groan and begin walking groggily towards the source of the noise, which quickly repeated itself.

"Yeah, yeah..." he grunted, holding his head in his hand as he tried to avoid tripping over any stray tables or chairs in his path.

Eventually Zak managed to reach the front door, pulling it open weakly and glancing at the visitor. Geol smiled at the boy in greeting, and upon registering that it was his father Zak immediately flushed a light red, removing the look of drowsiness from his face and grinning back awkwardly.

"Looks like you kids got quite a snowfall around here last night." Geol said as he stepped inside the cottage and removed any excess snow from his boots. "Did you sleep well?"

Zak pondered this question for a moment, then turned back to Geol, smiling.

"My problem isn't sleeping," he explained, "it's waking up."

"Heh, sorry about that," Geol chuckled in reply, "but I don't want to take any chances. Not today. So, Zak..."

The man's voice trailed off slightly as he began to change the subject.

"I'm ready." Zak interrupted, motioning towards the six Pokeballs and the sword of thunder which lay on the modest table in the centre of the room.

Geol nodded, trying to cheer up his expression as he did so.

"So you've decided on your final Pokemon team, have you?" he asked with a forced smile. "That's great!"

"Yeah," Zak laughed, heading into the nearby bathroom and adjusting his hair in the mirror as he continued to speak, "we've been training non-stop these past two days. It's a good thing they have a Pokemon healing machine in here!"

"Are the others ready?" Geol wondered out loud. Zak nodded in response to this.

"Good, good," Geol continued, "it's only a short walk up the mountain from here so it shouldn't take us very long. I wonder when Knite will show his face..."

"Well, one thing's for certain..." Zak stated simply, picking up the sword of the thunder and setting it inside its sheath. "Knite's gonna regret starting all this."

Geol just smiled and nodded to the boy, then headed back towards the front door.

"Well, if you can wake the others up that'd be great." he said as he went. "I'll just be waiting outside... Oh, and Zak?"

The boy turned to look at his father, who was now standing beside the door, his hand placed firmly on the handle, ready to turn it and walk into the snow-covered fields outside.

"In case I don't get a chance to say this again before the battle," he muttered just loud enough for his son to hear him, "good luck. And... I'm proud of you."

Zak allowed a smile to form on his lips and the two men nodded to each other before Geol closed the door behind him. Zak stood there in silence for a moment, then grabbed a clean shirt and headed towards the guest room doors, knocking first on Zeni's, then Yuki's, and then finally Whitney's.

"Whitney?" he called gently. "Are you up?"

A lazy shuffling of bed sheets came in response before the girl called back just as softly.

"Yeah..." Whitney's voice came through the light wood of the door. "Yeah, I'll be right out, just... Just give me a minute."

It wasn't long before everyone had assembled in the main room of the cottage and were ready to leave. Zeni and Yuki led the way, heading out of the front door first. Zak was about to follow, when Whitney's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Um," she stammered, "Zak?"

"What is it?" Zak answered, turning to face the girl and smiling awkwardly.

"I, uh," Whitney continued to stumble over her words before they had even left her mouth, "well, I just wanted to-"

"Are you two ready?" Geol's voice called out as he peered around the side of the door, causing both Zak and Whitney to jump and blush in equal amounts.

"Y-yeah!" Whitney replied, brushing past Zak and heading out into the snow. Zak watched her leave for a moment, confused by her sudden change in behavior, but he knew time was of the essence and so he decided to forget it. After all, his head was filled with far too much worry already.

It didn't take the group long to reach the highest point on Mount Silver and Zak was busy preparing himself for the biggest Pokemon battle of his life. He knew that the fate of the entirety of Johto, and indeed the rest of the world, could depend on the outcome of this fight, and he was determined not to let them down. Knite may have two legendary Pokemon at his disposal, but Zak's Pokemon had never let him down before, and he was certain they weren't going to start now.

The group had been waiting on this large clearing on top of the mountain for about half an hour now and the mood was incredibly uneasy. No-one was really talking, and even when they were they spoke in hushed whispers so as not to attract Zak's attention. The boy tried to shut them out of his mind as he idly swung his sword around, trying to memorise the many stances and thrusts which Scizor had been showing him for the past two days.

It was at this point that Whitney decided to approach the boy. Moving from the tree she had been leaning against for most of their time spent on this clearing, the girl walked slowly over towards where Zak was standing, her gaze remaining on the slowly melting snow beneath her feet.

"Zak..." she mumbled quietly as soon as she was within earshot of the boy. "Um... Would you mind if I spoke with you..." She motioned with her head towards the edge of the clearing. "Just quickly?"

Zak hesitated for a moment before replying as he watched the girl closely. He had known something had been troubling her since this morning, though what he wasn't sure.

"Sure." he said back, smiling warmly in order to help ease the girl's tensions. Whitney smiled back half-heartedly before turning and leading the way back towards the tree where she had been standing earlier.

Zak wiped his forehead slightly as he walked, then proceeded to look up into the mostly cloudless sky. Despite the light covering of snow which blanketed the grass of the clearing it was quite hot up in the mountains, and this was a bizarre contrast to the bitter cold of last night. Zak assumed it had something to do with the altitude, though it still felt unusual for him to experience a snowfall in late summer. Nevertheless, Fall was fast approaching and his journey would soon come to an end. He had answered all the questions he'd set out with and made a lot of friends in the process. Now all that was left was to tie up Knite's side of the story.

"Um..." Whitney began anxiously once they had arrived beside the tree. "I'm sorry if I've been kind of distant after last night-"

"Oh, look, Whitney," Zak interrupted, suddenly having a suspicion as to what was bothering the girl, "I'm sorry. I really wasn't thinking, and-"

"No, no, it's not about that!" Whitney exclaimed suddenly, her face flushing a bright red. "I just... I don't want that to be our last night together."

"What are you talking about?" Zak laughed casually. "I'm going to win today. Everything is gonna be fine."

"I know, I know..." Whitney sighed. "I just can't help but worry;" The girl paused for a second, before adding: "but I do believe in you! I know you'll beat Knite without breaking a sweat. And... That's why I called you over here. I want you to promise me something."

"Huh?" Zak stammered. "And... What would that be?"

"Promise me;" Whitney continued, "promise me that after you win... We'll get to see each other again."

Zak was speechless for a moment as he considered his responses.

"Because I..." Whitney hesitated before speaking. "Because you owe me a rematch from Goldenrod!"

Zak smiled at this, then hugged the girl gently.

"Of course." he whispered into her ear. "I can do that."

There was a moment of silence which was neither awkward nor unwelcome, but rather a comfort to the two trainers. Zak felt the fresh mountain air flowing through his hair and admired the view of the distant land of Johto which sprawled beneath his feet. His eyes glanced towards the tiny Whirl Islands and towards his home village and he smiled.

'I promise I'll come home safely,' he thought to himself, 'Mom and Sora.'

Just then a flicker of shadow passed over the clearing, causing Zak and Whitney to end their embrace and prompting everyone present to look up at the sky, where a winged silhouette was slowly descending down towards them. Zak stared up and approached the centre of the clearing to meet the newcomer, his face showing no emotion whatsoever as he locked his gaze on the figure.

As the figure drew closer it was then that Zak gasped as he realised that Knite's appearance had changed yet again. His complexion was now a much more sickly pale orange than it had once been, and his skin seemed horribly stretched and contorted across his body. He continued to wear that same, smug expression he had from a few days before, but now he also wore one of the metal braces Zak had seen in the Team Rocket laboratories around his neck. The device seemed to glow under the strain of its captive's sheer power as Knite finally planted his feet firmly on the ground and moved to face Zak.

Silence covered the mountain for a moment as the two trainers faced off against each other, their eyes locked firmly on the other's. Neither seemed compelled to utter a word as they both stood there, absorbing the atmosphere of what was likely to be an incredible battle.

"I knew you'd come." Knite whispered gently, his words almost floating across the air as he spoke.

"Knite..." Zak replied, still taken aback by the boy's new appearance. "What... What happened to you?"

"Oh, this?" Knite chuckled, admiring his arms as he stretched out and displayed his new body. "This is what a perfect being looks like."

"You didn't..." Geol growled. "You couldn't! There's no way you could have merged with Mewtwo! No human body could contain such power!"

Knite grinned, then pointed directly to the metal collar clamped firmly around his neck, its green light illuminating the damp snow beneath his feet.

"My body can." Knite explained with a smirk on his face. "And does. My main problem was getting around Mewtwo's superior psychic powers: had I simply merged with it Mewtwo would have easily made itself the primary mind of this vessel. That's where this immobilising device comes in."

"That's the same thing Team Rocket developed to use against Blackrock..." Zak growled, clenching his fist as the anger began to well up inside of him yet again.

"Doctor Nanba had originally developed this machine in order to control legendary Pokemon in and out of battles," Knite continued, "and, as a result of this, the device only weakens brain-waves belonging to Pokemon."

There was another long pause of silence as the team attempted to comprehend this new information that was being thrown at them.

"Which means, ladies and gentlemen," Knite said, unable to stop himself from laughing as he did so, "that I have full control over this body and all the powers it possesses."

Zak scowled at Knite, who simply grinned.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

Zak nodded and the two rivals made their way to opposite ends of the cliff, their first choice of Pokeball in hand. Once both combatants were ready Knite declared the rules.

"This will be a six-on-six Pokemon battle." he announced, his eyes effortlessly scanning his surroundings and savoring the looks of despair and worry on the faces of Zak's companions. "As is standard for Johto League Gym battles, anything goes, and there is no time limit."

Knite's gaze then fixed itself on Zak, who glared back defiantly.

'Ready?' his voice echoed inside of Zak's head, causing Zak to flinch for a moment.

Zak knew that Knite was attempting to catch him out already by using Mewtwo's psychic powers, but he was determined not to let the boy get to him. Despite his new, corrupted body and the powers it possessed, Zak knew that Knite was still a human, and Knite's refusal to accept this fact would be his undoing.

"BEGIN!" Knite roared with the intensity of a dragon as both he and Zak threw down their first choice of Pokeball, the wind suddenly rushing through the arena and violently shaking the trees which seemed to cling to the mountain for shelter.

Zak's first choice of Pokemon was his Magmar, Torch, which dived straight into the centre of the battlefield, its fiery body charged and raring to go. Zak wanted to start off in a strong position, and Torch was just the Pokemon for the job.

Knite's Pokemon was similar in size and stature to Torch, but its colour and demeanor was a lot lower in intensity. Sneasel had a fine coat of very short, black fur and blood-red eyes which seemed to survey the opponent's every move with unerring precision. The Dark-type simply stood in the centre of the snowy stadium, admiring its razor-sharp claws in the light of the morning sun.

'I see you're trying to start out strong with your Magmar.' Knite's thoughts entered into Zak's mind once again. 'How predictable.'

"Stop with the mind games already, Knite!" Zak snarled back, much to the surprise of everyone else on the mountain. "We're here to battle; not to talk."

Knite was silent, before eventually pointing towards Torch and giving Sneasel its first command via what Zak assumed to be a type of silent telepathy.

Zak and Torch both remained silent as they watched Sneasel quickly advancing. Torch looked over its shoulder towards the trainer, who could offer nothing but a display of gritted teeth in response.

Suddenly Sneasel seemed to vanish in a flurry of blurred, black fur before suddenly reappearing directly in front of Torch and slamming its fist into the Fire-type's gut. Zak immediately recognised the attack to be a Faint Attack, a speciality of Dark-type Pokemon.

'Dammit...' Zak's thoughts echoed in his mind as he watched Knite standing there, smiling calmly at him. 'Neither me or my Pokemon have any warning about what kind of attacks or strategies he's using until it's too late! How am I supposed to beat this guy by guessing?'

"Torch!" Zak yelled, not wanting his Pokemon to simply stand there and take a beating. "Counter with Fire Spin!"

"Pathetic." Knite muttered underneath his breath.

Torch proceeded to blast the immediate vicinity with a torrent of flames, though as Sneasel was moving so incredibly fast it was impossible for the Magmar to keep up with its target.

'Dammit!' Zak's thoughts cursed. 'We're just wasting energy!'

Suddenly Sneasel reappeared in mid-air behind Magmar, coiling up its right arm in preparation for a finishing blow against the helpless Pokemon.

"NOW!" Zak cried.

"There's no way Torch is fast enough to counter that!" Zeni gasped from the sidelines.

"Hidden Power, Torch!!" Zak finished his commands, causing everyone on the mountaintop, including Knite and Sneasel, to take a step back in shock at this new development.

Torch closed its eyes and concentrated on its mind, the noise of the spectators and the battle all draining from its thoughts as it focused on the sound of the rushing, mountain wind and felt the chill of slowly-melting snow beneath its feet.

Suddenly Torch opened its eyes and Sneasel was sent flying up into the air before crashing back down into a pile of dirt and snow. The Dark-type quickly got back onto its feet, glaring at the Magmar and awaiting the next command from its master.

"Impressive," Knite admitted calmly, "but a few new tricks aren't going to win this battle for you."

"I was training for a reason, Knite," Zak retorted, pointing directly at his opponent with a confident smile on his face, "and that reason was to beat you today!"

"And to think you wasted your last days doing that." Knite yawned. "Sneasel, go."

Sneasel immediately leapt towards its opponent again, allowing the psychic commands of its master to guide its strategy. Magmar was more than prepared this time, though, and so too was Zak, who kept a close eye on the creature's movements.

"Now, Torch!" Zak issued his latest command. "Use Flamethrower!"

"Just the same old, same old..." Knite hissed underneath his breath as he watched his Sneasel narrowly avoid the tide of red-hot fire of the Magmar which was quickly thawing the battlefield.

'Shadow Ball.' Knite projected his orders into the mind of his Sneasel once more.

"Fire Punch, now!" Zak called.

Both Pokemon received their instructions at the exact same time, causing both to believe they had the advantage. Sneasel ducked low in order to avoid the attack and began charging a sphere of dark, ghostly energy between its palms. Torch managed to notice this sudden change of tactics just in time, and adjusted the angle of its Fire Punch just enough to slam its fist into the jaw of the Dark-type before it was too late. Sneasel was knocked back yet again, though it had still managed to significantly harm Torch even without the use of a fully developed Shadow Ball.

Torch flinched from the pain of the Dark-type's attack and shifted its feet uncomfortably, unable to stop itself from reaching for the graze where the Shadow Ball had hit. Fortunately it appeared that Sneasel was injured just as badly as it stood there, crouching low towards the snow and breathing heavily.

"Sneasel, return." Knite announced, removing a Pokeball and recalling the Pokemon back into safety. The boy then shifted his fingers and picked his next choice of combatant without even looking, throwing the Pokeball directly in front of Zak's Magmar. "Hitmonlee, go."

The Pokeball exploded in a vast kaleidoscope of light, spilling its contents down into the stadium below and revealing the form of a slim humanoid creature which stood just under five feet tall. Its body was quite unusual in that its shape lacked detail or clarity, save for the dark, penetrating eyes which glared down at Torch and the stretchy, flexible limbs it possessed. Hitmonlee jumped energetically on the spot as it awaited its first command, making it obvious to everyone witnessing the battle that it was more than ready to fight.

"Hitmonlee, huh?" Zak commented as he checked the creature's official statistics on his his Pokedex. "Y'mean Sneasel's given up already?"

"No need to waste a perfectly useful Pokemon before it's needed." Knite replied calmly.

Suddenly Hitmonlee launched a lightning-fast jab with its right fist which collided into Torch's jaw and sent the creature stumbling backwards, surprised. Knite's Pokemon then proceeded to launch into a flurry of punches and kicks, chasing the Magmar down wherever it tried to run to.

"Dammit..." Zak cursed. "Torch, hang in there!"

"You're waiting for an opening you'll never even get..." Knite spat, watching the fight between the two Pokemon becoming more and more intense.

"Now!" Zak yelled as Torch caught Hitmonlee's leg from a high roundhouse kick and prepared to strike. "Thunder Punch, Torch! Full power!"

Sparks of yellow lightning flew from the Magmar's fist and into Hitmonlee's gut, causing the Fighting-type to wretch and silently gasp for air. Torch quickly followed up with a Fire Punch, but Hitmonlee's fighting senses were so incredibly well honed that despite the pain the creature was feeling it still managed to back away in time to avoid this second attack.

"What the...?" Zak stammered cautiously. "Your Pokemon should've been paralysed from such a powerful Thunder Punch from such close range!"

"I take it you've never heard of the ability called Limber..." Knite sighed.

"Limber...?" Zak repeated.

"It's a natural ability found in all Hitmonlee," Knite explained as courteously as always, "which renders them completely immune to any and all paralysing effects."

"In that case..." Zak growled. "Torch, use Fire Spin!"

Torch immediately began charging a plume of fire from deep within its body before unleashing the energy and engulfing the entire area on which Hitmonlee stood with a devastating inferno of flames. Zak's victorious smile didn't last long, however, as he saw Hitmonlee rising from the miniature oven and sending its long, flexible leg slamming directly into Torch's face. Torch fell to the ground, trying to fight off the pain of Hitmonlee's successful Hi Jump Kick.

"Torch, no!" Zak cried, beginning to rush over towards the creature before being stopped by an invisible forcefield which seemed to push every one of his muscles away from the stadium.

'Either return your Pokemon to its Pokeball or let it be.' Knite's words once again entered into Zak's mind. 'Do not interfere with the match.'

Zak gasped for breath as he finally backed away from the edge of the battlefield. Feeling unnaturally exhausted, he looked over towards Knite, whose fiery, purple eyes glared at him with cold, calculated hatred.

Meanwhile Hitmonlee reached down and picked up the Fire-type by its neck, looking the creature up and down. Hitmonlee was quite surprised that it was still conscious, as normally such a direct kick would have knocked out Pokemon much larger than this. In fact part of it wanted to spare the creature any more pain, but orders were orders and they were to be obeyed at all times.

Hitmonlee launched its fist into Torch's stomach several times before it became obvious to Zak that there was no way his Pokemon could continue to battle under such circumstances. Quickly fumbling with his Pokeball Zak returned Torch to his belt and began to debate about which Pokemon he would bring out next.

"You can do it, Zak!" the boy could hear Whitney's words of encouragement reach his ears and he glanced over to check on his audience, unable to help but smile as he saw them. His eyes met with Whitney's, and he simply nodded.

"Go!" Zak announced, throwing out his second Pokeball into the battlefield. "Epsilon!"

With a brief flash Zak's Pokeball revealed the form of his Unown, Epsilon, which span in mid-air, ready and willing to prove its worth to all witnesses of the battle.

"Fight fighting with psychic;" the boy chuckled to himself as he watched his Pokemon eye its new opponent cautiously, "that's the oldest trick in the book. And the most effective."

Knite said nothing in reply and simply watched the battle's newest arrival without any ounce of interest.

"Fine then!" Zak laughed, pointing directly towards Knite's Hitmonlee. "Epsilon, use Hidden Power!"

"Huh," Knite mused in response, "what a pathetically cookie-cutter move."

Despite its master's calm appearance, Hitmonlee was constantly glancing around, surveying the battlefield with a look of worry in its eyes. It was a natural trait for Fighting-type Pokemon to have a fear of Psychic-types and the powers they wielded, so it was no surprise that the creature was being extra cautious. It glared defensively towards Unown, which had its single eye closed as it concentrated on what needed to be done.

Suddenly a distant rumbling was heard beneath the ground on which everyone stood and Knite immediately knew what to do.

'It's Ground-type, Hitmonlee.' his thoughts projected into the Pokemon's mind. 'Wait until the sound is at its peak, then launch a Hi Jump Kick. You must get within close range if we are to have any chance of beating this one.'

Hitmonlee nodded to itself, aware that all of its thoughts were now directly linked to Knite's via a special, psychic link which the two of them currently shared. The Fighting-type began to crouch low as it heard the rumbling advance closer and closer, until eventually...

'Now.'

The time was just right, and Hitmonlee leapt clear of the ground just as four large tombs of earth appeared beneath the ground and clamped in around the area where the Pokemon stood just a moment before. Zak cursed under his breath as he helplessly watched Hitmonlee speeding towards its target, right leg coiled in preparation for a powerful Hi Jump Kick.

"Epsilon, faze out!" Zak ordered, causing both Hitmonlee and Knite's eyes to widen with shock.

Epsilon then vanished into thin air, causing Hitmonlee to crash into the soft earth at an awkward angle and trip over its feet. Knite's Pokemon did its best to quickly return to its feet and recover its stance, though it was obvious that it was now feeling more vulnerable than ever as it surveyed the battlefield with a worried glint in its eyes.

Suddenly Zak's Unown reappeared behind Hitmonlee, raring to attack on its trainer's command.

"Psychic, Epsilon!" Zak commanded.

"Hitmonlee, Endure!" Knite returned.

The entire battlefield became covered in a strange, purple haze which seemed to flow over the mountaintop like thick syrup as Hitmonlee felt the presence of numerous psychic waves slowly pressing against its mind. Just in time, Hitmonlee clapped its hands together and focused intently on deflecting the attack. This psychic assault lasted for several minutes, but eventually the waves dissipated and Hitmonlee could finally relax.

"Epsilon, faze out again!" Zak continued the battle, grudgingly impressed by both Knite's quick thinking and Hitmonlee's lightning-fast reactions. Whilst it was obvious that Hitmonlee had taken severe damage from the attack, the fact was that it was still able to fight, and Zak knew well that in a Pokemon battle one attack was all it took for a battle to quickly go from win to loss.

'Be prepared for anything, Hitmonlee.' Knite's telepathy made itself know to his Pokemon yet again. 'Once it comes within range again let loose with everything you've got left.'

Eventually Epsilon reappeared, this time directly above Hitmonlee. The Fighting-type immediately noticed the Pokemon and thrust a powerful kick up directly into the Psychic-type's small body, causing it to flail in mid-air for a moment as it was not used to enduring such a powerful physical attack. Hitmonlee's fast reactions allowed it to take full advantage of this weakness in the opponent's armour, and so the Pokemon began to launch into a devastating combination of punches and kicks, tossing the Unown from side to side mercilessly.

"Epsilon, do a direct Psywave attack, now!" Zak insisted, trying to keep his composure as he watched his Pokemon endure such a terrible assault.

Epsilon managed to open its eye just long enough to focus on the target in front of it, which continued to rain down a flurry of punches into the Psychic-type. Concentrating as best it could, Epsilon then opened its eye and forced wave after wave of psychic energy into the mind of Hitmonlee, causing the Fighting-type to collapse in pain and eventually fall unconscious.

"Expendable." Knite said firmly as he withdrew Hitmonlee from battle and threw down a third Pokeball.

Knite's Pokeball ejected its contents down onto the battlefield below and Zak immediately recognised the Pokemon as being Misdreavus, a Ghost-type Pokemon that Knite had used to help amplify Velcia's Alakazam's psychic waves in order to lure Mewtwo into a trap on the Whirl Islands. For some reason unknown even to himself, Zak found the creature incredibly beautiful; its long, flowing gaseous hair and terrifying, blood-red eyes seemed to both seduce and repel him in equal measure. The creature gave the human a wink before letting out a terrible scream which pierced the very air of the mountain and indicated its first attack.

"Dammit," Zak coughed, unprepared for such a sudden attack, "Epsilon, use Psywave again!"

Epsilon nodded and closed its single eye in an effort to begin concentrating on its target once again. However, this time it became obvious to the Psychic-type that nothing was happening, and Zak looked at the creature with a confused expression on his face before Misdreavus suddenly charged through the creature, leaving the Unown feeling cold and weak as it went.

"Epsilon!" Zak gasped. "What... What's wrong?"

"Misdreavus just used Spite." Yuki commented from the sidelines, causing Geol, Whitney and Zeni to all turn to her. "I should know, because I've used it many times with my Haunter."

"I know that move!" Zeni muttered back. "No wonder Epsilon's looking so weak... That thing drains attack energy like there's no tomorrow!"

'Come on, Zak...' Yuki thought to herself as she watched the battle continue to rage on between the two opposing Pokemon. 'You can do it. I believe in you.'

"Okay," Zak began, watching as Misdreavus began a second advance on its enemy, "then use Hidden Power again, Epsilon! Full power!"

Epsilon nodded weakly, then focused on the ground below and began to cause distant tremors in the earth's surface using its psychic powers. The rumblings were small at first, but then became progressively louder and louder before finally several huge stalagmites of rock and dirt erupted from the ground of the stadium and formed a shield around the Unown, which Misdreavus' ethereal body passed through with ease.

'Shadow Ball.' Knite commanded through his Pokemon through telepathy.

Misdreavus shrieked with glee, then began charging a sphere of dark, spectral energy which quickly collided with the undefended Psychic-type in front of it. Epsilon was sent crashing into the soft dirt below, unconscious, and Zak was forced to recall his second Pokemon out of the battle. As Zak checked his belt whilst deciding on his next choice of Pokemon, Misdreavus appeared to dance in mid-air, its beautifully haunting eyes watching the boy carefully, watching, waiting, as if it were ready to devour his soul.

"Enough!" Zak growled as he shook his head and snapped himself out of Misdreavus' spell. "It's time to finish this. Go, Swoop!"

Once again another Pokeball was thrown into the air above the battlefield, revealing the silhouette of a large Water-type Pokemon which widely spread its wings in an impressive display of strength.

"A Mantine." Knite commented. "I would have been impressed by that three years ago."

"Rain Dance, Swoop, now!" Zak ordered, scowling as he did his best to ignore Knite's remarks.

Zak's Mantine began spinning in mid-air, whipping up a violent tornado which pierced the low-hanging clouds above and brought thunder and lightning in its wake. Within seconds a torrential downpour had started, soaking the entire mountaintop with tonnes and tonnes of fresh rainwater which collided and cascaded over the surface, causing everyone there to flinch.

"Now follow up with Water Pulse!" Zak commanded, pointing directly at Misdreavus, which did its best to regain its composure and evade the attack.

Swoop charged headfirst towards the Ghost-type, its long antennae glowing a bright blue before launching a powerful blast of water towards the enemy. Misdreavus barely managed to dodge the attack as it desperately fought against the wind and rain which was hindering its movement, and the attack suddenly dissipated mere inches from Knite's face. The boy refused to even acknowledge this, and simply continued to silently command his Pokemon via the telepathic bond the two of them shared.

"Swoop," Zak resumed, "continue attacking with Bubblebeam!"

Swoop immediately began to give chase to Misdreavus, which did its best to avoid any impacts, though it was clear that the fierce rain was hampering its movement. Eventually Swoop caught up with the Ghost-type, sending multiple blasts of water slamming into the creature with steadily increasing volume and intensity.

"Unlike you to keep a helpless Pokemon in battle, isn't it Knite?" Zak mocked from the far side of the stadium, shouting over the sounds of crashing rain and thunder.

Knite simply cracked a smile at this comment, his eyes watching the battle as if he hadn't a care in the world.

"Misdreavus," he spoke up, "Perish Song."

Swoop continued its assault on the Ghost-type, when suddenly it faded out of sight and reappeared directly behind the Mantine. Gently closing its eyes, Misdreavus then began to chant a strange, haunting melody which filled the air and soon overpowered the sounds of rushing wind and rain in the ears of all those within the stadium's vicinity.

Zak gasped as he suddenly felt the air tighten all around him and the sky flashed a dark purple colour, the clouds floating high above turning a sickly yellow and painting a grim, evil rendition of the mountaintop.

Just as quickly as it had appeared, though, this ghostly image vanished and the scene returned to normal. Zak breathed a sight of relief, then ordered Swoop to continue its battle strategy.

'Looks like that attack didn't do anything...' Zak thought to himself as he continued to concentrate on the battle being waged before him. 'Still, I'd better be careful...'

'Try waiting three minutes.' Knite's voice echoed inside the boy's head once again. Zak's eyes widened as he watched his opponent continue to stare calmly into the centre of the battlefield.

'Dammit!' Zak cursed in his mind. 'He can read my thoughts, too!? Well, then, I guess I'll just... Ugh, Zak, you idiot! Stop thinking!'

As Zak continued to debate with how best to deal with his clearly psychic opponent, Misdreavus let out a loud shriek of pain before submitting to the power of a final Bubblebeam from Swoop. Knite calmly proceeded to recall the Pokemon into its Pokeball, then threw out his fourth choice of Pokemon.

"Thank you for flooding the stadium for me, Zak," Knite laughed as the Pokeball split apart and revealed the form of a pink and green Pokemon with inquisitive, black eyes and a small, oval-shaped body with irregularly shaped protrusions rising from it's back, "my Corsola is sure to appreciate it."

"Corsola, huh?" Zak repeated, checking the Pokemon's data entry in his Pokedex. "A Rock and Water-type...?"

"Corsola," Knite commanded as confidently as ever, "use Dig, now."

"What...?" Geol wondered out loud as the spectators all watched Knite's latest Pokemon begin to burrow beneath the cracked earth of the mountaintop stadium. "Why use a Ground-type technique against a part Flying-type Pokemon?"

"Figures..." Zak growled to himself. "He's just biding time for that Perish Song to take effect..."

Knite smiled arrogantly from the other side of the field at Zak.

'I don't know what that move's gonna do, but I don't want to find out, either...'

"Now, Swoop!" Zak called out to the large, blue Pokemon which hovered on his side of the field. "Use Hydro Pump on the ground! Flush that Corsola out!"

"Hmph." Knite grunted in response to hearing this command.

Swoop complied with its master's instructions, summoning a tremendous amount of strength before finally unleashing it in the form of a powerful column of water which collided with the ground, forcing up tonnes of dirt and debris in its wake, eventually throwing Corsola out into the open once more.

"Now use Water Pulse, Swoop!" Zak continued. "Give it everything you've got!"

"Corsola, Harden!" Knite cried.

"But Harden doesn't defend against Special attacks like Water Pulse..." Whitney muttered.

Corsola followed its trainer's orders immediately, its hard, coral-like shell becoming thick and heavy and causing the creature to drop back down to the ground just before Swoop's attack could collide with it.

"Damn," Zeni commented, "making Corsola heavier in order to avoid the attack... Knite's smarter than he looks."

Knite flashed the boy a stinging glare at this comment, but quickly continued to relay his orders to Corsola, not wanting Zak to continue gaining a foothold in this match.

'Spike Cannon, Corsola,' he commanded telepathically, 'then follow up with Rock Blast.'

Corsola nodded its understanding, then quickly directed its body towards the Mantine which towered intimidatingly above the creature, launching hundreds of miniature spikes towards it. Swoop was unable to avoid such numerous small projectiles, and because of this the missiles soon began to viciously tear into the creature's skin, causing the Water-type to squeal in pain.

"Swoop, break through and use Wing Attack!" Zak shouted, but before the Mantine could begin to comply the debris from the Pokemon's earlier Hydro Pump attack was hurtling towards it, smashing into the creature and sending it colliding into the ground below.

"Damn!" Zak hissed. "Swoop! You okay?"

Swoop let out a confident squeal to confirm its status, then immediately flapped its wings and returned to the sky above, glaring down at its opponent with a cautious look in its eyes.

The two opposing trainers glared intensely at each other from either side of the makeshift stadium. There was no doubt that both were fine competitors, and though neither of them would like to admit it, both had a grudging respect for the other.

"Hydro Pump, now!" both trainers yelled out at the exact same moment, pointing towards their opponent and commanding their Pokemon to summon up as much of their Water-type powers as they could muster.

The wind and rain of Swoop's earlier Rain Dance seemed to vanish in the wake of the two attacks which collided with an incredible intensity in the centre of the battlefield. The last remaining snow and ice on the mountaintop was quickly washed away as water flooded the immediate area and caused the onlookers to quickly grab onto the nearby tree in order to avoid being pulled away with the current.

"Too late." Knite chuckled as the sky suddenly returned to the dark violet hue it had been coloured a few minutes before.

Zak gritted his teeth and watched on with helpless worry as the two Hydro Pump attacks slowly faded away, instead replaced by a thin, choking air which engulfed Zak's Mantine, sending it crashing into the ground, unconscious.

"Three against three." Knite reminded Zak arrogantly.

"More than enough firepower to take you down twice..." Zak laughed back, his outer confidence hiding an inner fear which he knew Knite could subconsciously feel with his new psychic powers.

His fingers brushing over his belt, Zak contemplated his options. The rainstorm Swoop had provided before had now dissipated completely, though the water which surrounded the battlefield was still as apparent as ever, and probably would remain that way for quite some time.

"Okay!" the boy exclaimed suddenly, throwing down his fourth choice of Pokemon. "Magnemite, I'm counting on you!"

"Woo!!" Zeni cheered as the Pokeball entered into the air, spewing forth the tiny, spherical form of the Steel-type Pokemon it contained. "Go Magnemite!"

With a loud crackle of electricity and a flash of sparks Magnemite entered the arena and frowned at its opponent, Corsola, who seemed completely unfazed by this new arrival.

"You certainly have a penchant for capturing under-whelming Pokemon, don't you, Zak?" Knite laughed from the other side of the battlefield.

Magnemite glared at the trainer, flashing its electrical prowess in defiance of this comment. Knite simply laughed once again.

"Corsola," he began, "use Dig and get rid of this insect."

Corsola squealed its acceptance of Knite's orders, then quickly burrowed underground in a splash of dirt and water, tunneling closer and closer towards its target.

Zak waited in silence for a moment, his fist clenched tightly as he heard the burrowing sounds of Knite's Corsola becoming louder with every passing second.

'Wait for it...' he thought to himself.

Suddenly the ground erupted and Knite's Corsola flew up into the air towards Magnemite, which was narrowly able to avoid the lunge.

"Use Thunderbolt on the ground, Magnemite!" Zak yelled immediately. "Now!"

Magnemite quickly complied with the trainer's orders, its steel magnets glowing bright yellow and sending out wave after wave of powerful electricity down onto the waterlogged battlefield. Knite simply smiled at this as Corsola dove back into the ground, unaffected by the powerful current now flickering all across the mountaintop.

"What...?" Zak mumbled. "But... How?"

"I had my Corsola surround itself in a shell of mud," Knite explained calmly in response, "so that it would be grounded against any electrical attacks you threw at it."

Zak was left in a state of stunned silence at the boy's revelation.

"Did..." the boy stammered, trying to regain his composure. "Did you read my mind?"

"I didn't have to," Knite replied, "because I would've tried the exact same strategy in your situation."

Zak thought about the boy's choice of words for a moment, before his thoughts were suddenly interrupted once again.

"Now, Corsola!" Knite exclaimed. "Use Dig again!"

Once again Knite's Corsola began to unleash a furious barrage of undetectable subterranean attacks, colliding with Magnemite's tiny, steel body and significantly weakening it within a very short amount of time. Zak gritted his teeth as he watched the carnage unfold, his thoughts flying as he tried to think of a quick counterstrategy.

It was just as he noticed Corsola rising from directly underneath Magnemite that an idea occurred to the trainer, and Zak wasted no time in acting on this opportunity.

"Magnemite," Zak cried, "Sonicboom directly below you! Now!"

"What?" Knite backtracked.

Magnemite's lightning-fast electrical reflexes allowed the Pokemon to quickly shift its angle and shoot a highly concentrated blast of sonic waves directly into its opponent's rising body, causing the very air around them to tremble with intense vibrations and removing the shell of mud which encased Corsola's body. Corsola's Dig attack bounced off the Steel-type harmlessly, and left the dazed and confused Water-type face-down in the muddy water of the arena.

"Now just use Thunderbolt, Magnemite!" Zak exclaimed, excited to finally have the upper hand over Knite in this battle. "That should be more than enough to take Corsola down!"

Corsola was unable to avoid the hail of sparks which rained down from above and let out an agonising squeal which echoed across the mountain range. Magnemite refused to flinch, however, and continued its relentless electrical assault.

'Recover.' Knite whispered into the mind of his Corsola, which accepted its master's orders despite the intense pain it was going through.

Corsola managed to dig back down into the ground below, where Knite knew that it was safe for the time-being. A few seconds passed and Zak cursed under his breath for having not used a more powerful electric attack.

Suddenly Corsola reappeared into the battlefield once more, its scars and wounds now completely gone and its stamina appearing to be as good as new. Zak stared wide-eyed at this new development, but quickly regained his focus, pointing towards Corsola and issuing Magnemite its new orders.

"Use Lock-On!" Zak called.

"Corsola, Spike Cannon!" Knite countered.

Hundreds of tiny, razor-sharp needles charged towards Magnemite at what seemed like light-speed, but Magnemite had no problems with dodging these projectiles now that its advanced circuitry had targeted Corsola. The Steel-type glided in and out of the line of fire as it drew ever closer to Corsola, the spikes which flew past it now seeming to grind to a halt in the face of the Pokemon's newfound grace and agility.

Finally the barrage of Corsola's Spike Cannon ended and Magnemite was now mere inches from Corsola, a yellow glow beginning to make itself obvious in the centre of the Steel-type's eye.

"Dammit!" Knite growled. "Corsola, burrow underground again!"

"Not so fast!" Zak interrupted his opponent, unable to keep himself from smiling as the taste of victory came closer and closer. "Magnemite, Zap Cannon now!"

A loud crackle of electricity could be heard from the two magnets on either side of the Pokemon's body, and suddenly a huge beam of lightning roared forth from the Steel-type as it slowly backed away to a safe distance, sending the helpless Corsola flying across the stadium and almost over the side of the mountain before Knite managed to recall the creature into its designated Pokeball.

"Alright, Magnemite!" Zak cheered, punching into the air victoriously. Geol, Whitney, Yuki and Zeni couldn't help but crack a smile themselves as they watched the boy slowly start to overpower the monster standing before them.

"Fine." Knite hissed, removing another Pokeball from his belt and sending it flying into the arena. "Sneasel, come on out!"

It was obvious that Sneasel had managed to recover some of its fatigue from the battle with Torch whilst it had been resting inside the Pokeball, but it was still in a weakened state, and Zak was confident Magnemite could take it down without too many troubles if they played their cards right.

'Sneasel, Agility.' Knite's thoughts silently projected the boy's commands into the mind of the Dark-type, which smiled sinisterly before focusing its mind on its speed.

"Magnemite, Lock-On!" Zak ordered, pointing towards Sneasel.

Sneasel waited for a moment until it could sense that Zak's Magnemite was in range. Then, just before Magnemite could identify its target the Pokemon vanished, then quickly reappeared behind the Steel-type, sending its foot slamming down on the robotic creature and launching it into the dirt.

"Damn, I forgot how fast that thing is..." Zak grunted, watching as Magnemite slowly rose back into the air, electricity weakly flickering all around it. "Magnemite, Thunder Wave!"

Magnemite beeped in confirmation of its master's orders before letting out a hail of sparks which slowly exuded from the creature's metallic body. Sneasel, however, remained too fast for Magnemite's attacks, and continued to launch attack after attack on the helpless Steel-type, causing much agony for the helpless Zak on the sidelines.

'Finish it.' Knite's voice echoed inside of Sneasel's head. 'Now.'

Sneasel let a grim smile form on its lips as it tightly coiled its right arm and then leapt high into the air before striking down with a powerful Slash attack, cutting deep into Magnemite's metal armour and sending the Pokemon back into the dirt once again. Much to everyone's surprise, however, the tiny creature refused to give in, rising yet again, sparks flowing weakly across its two magnets.

"Persistent..." Knite hissed. "Sneasel, destroy it."

Sneasel howled, then charged towards the Steel-type yet again, its razor-sharp claws glistening in the light of the sun as they continued to slash deeper into Magnemite's body, leaving large gouges and scars in the otherwise flawless metal.

"Come on, Magnemite!" Zak pleaded helplessly from the edge of the arena. "You've got to get out of there!"

Magnemite was trying its best to avoid the attacks, but Knite's Sneasel proved too fast and the Dark-type's barrage of attacks seemed to be never-ending. Finally Magnemite was sent flying into the trunk of a nearby tree, the punishment of Sneasel's combination proving too much for the tiny Pokemon.

"You did good, Magnemite..." Zak sighed heavily as he reached for a Pokeball and was about to press down on the recall mechanism, when suddenly a bright flash of white light engulfed the battlefield. "What the...?"

Everyone present fell silent as they watched in awe at the phenomenon taking place before them.

"Could it be...?" Geol muttered to himself as the light slowly began to fade away, revealing a much larger form of Magnemite which now hovered in mid-air, its wounds seemingly vanished and its body now sporting six magnets attached to three spheres, all flickering with dangerous amounts of electricity.

"Magneton!?" Zak gasped, unable to help but smile at this new event.

"Impossible..." Knite cursed underneath his breath. "I've never seen anyone be so lucky as to have their Pokemon evolve during a battle..."

"Heh," Geol chuckled, "looks like your old Magnemite was a determined little guy, Zeni. There's no way this thing can stand losing."

"Heh, yeah," Zeni boasted as he grinned proudly, "that's my Magnemite."

"It makes no difference." Knite declared defiantly, raising out an arm and pointing towards the newly-evolved Pokemon. "Sneasel; Faint Attack."

Sneasel nodded, then quickly dashed towards its revitalised opponent before fazing out into thin air as it approached.

"Magneton!" Zak commanded. "Use Spark and shield yourself!"

Magneton silently acknowledged its trainer's orders and within seconds the wind seemed to pick up speed as the Steel-type was surrounded by a ring of powerful electricity which swirled and flowed several inches away from its body. Sneasel was unable to avoid this sudden defence and as a result was quickly thrown back by the fierce electrical current.

Knite let out an irritated grunt at the sight of his Pokemon's inability to hit the creature, then smiled calmly.

"Fine." he admitted. "I'll just have to stop holding back."

His eyes met with Zak's and the two competitors stared each other down with a look of fierce defiance.

"You should feel honoured," Knite continued, "I haven't had to do this in a long time!"

'Beat Up, Sneasel.' Knite's thoughts entered the Pokemon's mind once again.

Suddenly an icy wind blasted through the stadium, causing Zak, Zeni, Whitney, Yuki and Geol to all shield their eyes, surprised by the appearance of the bitterly cold air. Within an instant Magneton's electrical defences dissipated and Sneasel charged towards the Steel-type, its claws cutting down into Magneton's body, followed by an invisible force which sent the creature flying into the air and then a gigantic blast of lightning which rushed through the stadium, scorching the very air it touched.

"What the...?" Zak stuttered, trying to understand what had just happened without much success.

'Sneasel, continue the assault with Shadow Ball.' Knite's telepathy made itself known to the Dark-type Pokemon once again.

Sneasel grinned like a madman before launching itself back into the air and clasping its hands together, forming a sphere of dark, sticky energy which flickered and pulsated against the wind before being launched directly towards Magneton. Magneton saw this, however, and was successful in launching a powerful counterattack in the form of a Thunderbolt, which collided with the dark energy and absorbed it without problem. Soon the electric attack had engulfed Sneasel as well, and the Dark-type was finally taken down.

"Way to go, Magneton!" Zak cheered happily, not even noticing Zeni, Yuki, Whitney and Geol all cheering with him from the sidelines.

"Very impressive, Zak." Knite applauded the boy as he withdrew Sneasel back into its Pokeball. "You truly are a worthy adversary. I'll even admit it."

Zak was silent at this comment, not entirely sure how to accept it.

"But I'm afraid I can't let you win today." Knite explained, smiling like a defeated lunatic. "I can't let you ruin everything I've worked so hard to achieve all these years. I can't let Charizard's sacrifice be in vain."

There was a long, agonising silence whilst Zak watched Knite remove a familiar Pokeball from his belt with muted horror.

"I call upon the raw, untamed power of lightning!" Knite cackled, holding the black and yellow Pokeball high into the air before throwing it down into the centre of the battlefield. "Come forth, Raikou! Legend of Thunder!!"

The skies themselves seemed to turn black as the Pokeball split in two, illuminating the mountaintop with a sickly, pale green glow, a loud roar of thunder accompanying this change. Slowly the large, magnificent form of Raikou appeared before the crowd of shocked humans and Pokemon alike, its silhouette outlined by large sparks of electricity which seemed to flow up towards the heavens themselves. Zak was unable to hide his awe as he let out a gasp at the sight of the legendary beast, which glared down at the human with unnaturally empty eyes, the metal brace of Team Rocket clamped firmly around its neck.

"How can Zak defeat a legendary Pokemon...?" Yuki whispered with despair in her voice.

Whitney remained silent as she clasped her hands together and closed her eyes.

'Please, Zak...' her thoughts spread across her mind. 'You promised me...'

"Yes!!" Knite was unable to control his maniacal laughter as he stared up towards the magnificent beast which stood before him. "Now, Raikou!! DESTROY OUR ENEMIES!!"

Raikou let out a powerful roar which shook the air like a clap of thunder and echoed across the whole of Johto, the winds shifting as they felt the creature's power. Zak swallowed nervously before giving Magneton a weak smile in a poor attempt at building the Steel-type's confidence.

'This...' he thought to himself uneasily. 'This is gonna be tough...'

With barely a moment for Zak to react, Raikou dashed towards its opponent at the speed of light, claps of thunder echoing across the mountainside every time its powerful paws made contact with the ground below. In a flash of yellow and white the beast slammed its huge tail into the comparatively soft metal body of Zak's Magneton, sending the tiny Pokemon spinning high into the air before quickly giving chase and clamping its impressive jaws into the Steel-type.

Zak could barely keep up with the onslaught until finally Raikou slammed Magneton's limp body back down onto the ground with a loud thud which echoed throughout the arena. A few seconds of silence passed before suddenly a gigantic Thunderbolt attack pierced the centre of the battlefield where Magneton lay, ensuring that the creature had finally passed out.

Raikou reappeared above the Steel-type, staring blankly towards Zak, as if Knite was urging it to open up its jaws and tear into his flesh like paper. Quivering slightly, Zak slowly raised his hand and recalled Magneton back into its Pokeball. The small creature had done its best, and for that Zak was extremely grateful, but now he would have to go back to playing a game of type match-ups...

"Don't let his mind games work, Zak!" Geol yelled from the sidelines. "No matter how legendary Raikou is, it's still a Pokemon!"

Zak managed to form a smile on his lips as he nodded back in reply to his father's advice.

"Thanks, Dad..." he answered, preparing his next choice of Pokeball. "But I'm already one step ahead of you."

'I'm counting on you...' Zak thought as he lifted the Pokeball up towards his face. 'I know you won't let me down.'

Zak paused for a few moments, then proceeded to launch the Pokeball deep into the stadium, directly opposite Raikou.

"I choose you," he announced confidently, "Nidoqueen!!"

Knite raised an eyebrow at this, feeling emotions of admiration and respect stirring from deep within his other consciousness.

'Of course... We remember this one...'

Nidoqueen's powerful, purple armour glistened in the afternoon sun as the creature stood there, staring fearlessly back into the spectral eyes of the legendary beast which opposed her. Nidoqueen glanced over towards Knite and nodded ever so slightly, sensing the presence of a powerful rival beneath the human boy's exterior.

"None of your training can prepare you for this battle, Zak." Knite taunted the boy from across the natural arena.

"We'll just see about that, Knite!" Zak retorted as he pointed directly towards Raikou. "Nidoqueen, Ice Beam!"

"Agility." Knite commanded.

Nidoqueen blasted half of the arena with a powerful beam of ice which temporarily froze the entire area, but these lightning reactions were no match for Raikou's sheer speed as the legendary Pokemon quickly reappeared on the far left of the battlefield before charging towards its opponent, fangs bared.

Nidoqueen immediately countered the attack, grabbing onto the enemy's fur and using this opportunity to toss the creature up into the sky before blasting it with another Ice Beam, this time connecting and chilling Raikou to the very core.

"Impressive." Knite admitted. "Crunch."

Raikou barked a sound like thunder before launching another strike, but once again Nidoqueen proved that she was on top form by launching an Ice Punch into the ground and causing a chain reaction of crystalline waves to form which spiked up and formed a natural blockade for the Ground-type. Raikou snarled in anger, whilst Zak simply smiled at Nidoqueen's recollection of the battle with Tamara a few days ago.

Raikou contemplated this obstacle for a moment, before suddenly turning and fading out of sight, reappearing just behind Nidoqueen and sinking its fangs into the creature's powerful armour. Nidoqueen let out a roar of pain before spinning on the spot and sending a powerful Ice Punch slamming into the legendary beast's jaw. Raikou flinched at this, then quickly acknowledged another set of telepathic orders from its master, burrowing down deep into the earth below.

"Ugh, it can learn Dig, too?" Zak growled, watching the ground nervously. "Stay on your guard, Nidoqueen..."

Nidoqueen surveyed the ground cautiously, the burrowing sounds from far below seeming to rise up and fill the air as everyone waited in silent anticipation of Raikou's return to the battlefield.

'Why are you even continuing to fight?' Knite's voice reappeared inside of Zak's head once again, and the two trainers' eyes met across the arena.

Zak could feel a small trail of sweat roll down the side of his face as the two stared across at each other. Zak knew that Knite was playing mind games with him, and despite this knowledge he couldn't help but feel as if Knite was right. Raikou was a legendary Pokemon, and Nidoqueen - no matter how well trained or experienced - was hopelessly outclassed in this battle.

'Exactly.' Knite's voice seemed to snigger at this point. 'Why keep this battle going? All you're doing is hurting your Pokemon...'

"I..." Zak stammered, his eyes trailing to the ground, the cold mountain air seeming to swirl and entrap his body with every passing breath. "Nidoqueen..."

Zak's Pokemon glanced over towards its trainer when suddenly a loud rumble shot through the centre of the arena and Raikou burst forth from the ground, a fierce Iron Tail attack colliding with the unsuspecting Ground-type. The two Pokemon continued to exchange blows whilst Zak just stared at the ground in silence.

'Just forfeit already.' Knite's thoughts continued to pour into Zak's head. 'What do you have left to prove? You're just hurting Nidoqueen more and more with every passing second.'

The silence was almost deafening as Zak contemplated Knite's words. As much as he hated to admit it... They seemed to make sense.

'Don't make them suffer any longer...'

Zak slowly looked up, the view of Nidoqueen and Raikou fiercely battling one another directly present in front of him. Slowly the boy began to raise his hand, when suddenly he remembered those words.

'Promise me.'

"!!" Zak gasped as he suddenly remembered the words of his best friend, and his gaze turned towards the spectators, all looking increasingly worried as the battle continued to rage on before their very eyes.

'Why are you making them suffer?' Knite continued. 'Just forfeit and everything will be okay.'

"Nidoqueen!" Zak yelled suddenly at the top of his lungs. "Superpower!!"

Nidoqueen let out a tremendous roar before grabbing a hold of one of Raikou's front legs and, summoning all of her might, threw the creature to the far side of the arena. Both Raikou and Knite seemed shocked by this, but neither were quick enough to be able to stop Nidoqueen from closing her eyes and focusing intently on summoning all of her energy into boosting her strength.

"Raikou, charge!!" Knite cried in a panicked voice. "Kill that thing right now!!"

"Nidoqueen!" Zak resumed his commands, his calm and collected composure now fully restored from previously. "Earthquake! FULL POWER!!"

Knite's eyes widened as his psychic powers suddenly felt the magnitude of Nidoqueen's current strength and he realised that not even Raikou could stand up to it.

"Raikou!" he screamed. "Stop! Disengage!!"

It was already too late, however. Raikou's attack had already been finalised, and just before the creature was able to leap towards its target the ground beneath its feet split apart at the power of Nidoqueen's attack. Immediately the legendary beast fell to the ground with a powerful thud, setting off gigantic sparks of electricity which scattered across the stadium. By the time the smoke of the attacks had cleared Raikou lay in an unconscious heap, Nidoqueen was crouched close to the ground breathing heavily, and the entire mountaintop had become a wasteland of debris and devastation. In slow, steady silence Knite recalled Raikou into its Pokeball and stared over towards Zak, looking completely shocked.

"I..." Zak stammered uneasily, staring into his palms. "I win..."

A few seconds passed as he considered this result for a moment, allowing the magnitude of his accomplishment to fully set in.

"I... I won!!" Zak was unable to help a huge grin break out across his face. "Nidoqueen, you did it! You beat Raikou!!"

Nidoqueen smiled back weakly at this, when suddenly the voice of Knite interrupted them.

"You..." he muttered, his voice barely a whisper, but his tone now sounding completely emotionless, devoid of his usual arrogance. "You'll pay for this..."

"Hold it, Knite!" Geol interrupted swiftly, stepping into the arena. "Zak won the battle fair and square."

"Who said anything about him winning, you pompous old fool!?" Knite snarled, his voice now rising in anger by the second. "This is a six-on-six Pokemon battle! Now get out of the arena!!"

Zak's emotions suddenly lulled. Of course... He had assumed that Raikou was Knite's last Pokemon as it was a legendary, but it was only his fifth Pokemon... Which meant that there was one more obstacle to face before winning.

Geol stepped back towards where Whitney, Yuki and Zeni were standing, still not entirely able to believe that Raikou had been taken down before their very eyes.

"Now, I choose you," Knite announced, hurling his final Pokeball down into the centre of the twisted arena, "Espeon! Come on out!"

In a flash of white sparks Espeon was released from its Pokeball and landed elegantly on one of the many spires of rubble which rose from the stadium, its fine, purple coat of fur shimmering against the afternoon sky and its jet black eyes surveying the exhausted Nidoqueen with a silent arrogance.

Zak checked his Pokedex on the unusual creature, which appeared to resemble a small fox with large, conical ears and a tail which split in two. Nidoqueen managed to shift its position to face the crea ure, but it was clear to everyone involved that it was in no condition to continue battling.

"Good job, Nidoqueen," Zak declared as he positioned a Pokeball towards the creature and recalled it to safety, "return."

Zak stared long and hard at his opponent before finally lifting the Great ball from his belt and throwing it down towards the arena. This was his last Pokemon, and he couldn't afford to make any mistakes this time.

"Let's go!" he yelled as the ball split in two and deposited its contents onto the field in front of him. "Scizor! I choose you!"

Scizor's imposing, steel form swiftly appeared on the battle field, as silent and forbidding as ever. Knite managed to smirk at this, running his fingers through his hair confidently.

"Such a predictable trainer." he gloated. "Espeon, go."

"Quick, Scizor!" Zak commanded. "Close the gap between you and Espeon and use Slash!"

Scizor smiled at this - yes, the training the boy had undertaken during these past couple of days had truly paid off and the two of them were in perfect mental sync.

The Steel-type immediately leapt up from the ground and charged silently towards his opponent, claws ready to tear into the enemy. Espeon's speed was just as impressive as Scizor's, however, and the Psychic-type avoided the attack with ease before blasting a purple and yellow Psybeam directly towards Scizor's turned back. Scizor could feel the psychic reverberations through the air and quickly leapt straight up, turning and slamming his metal foot into the ground below where Espeon once stood and causing the earth to crumble in response.

"Behind you!" Zak warned.

Scizor quickly spun on the spot and raised his arm in defence of Espeon's leaping Crunch attack. Espeon's teeth pressed down on the Steel-type painfully, who shook the attacker off and then kicked it across the battlefield. Both Pokemon swiftly turned to face each other once again, staring each other down.

"Impressive..." Geol muttered from the sidelines, prompting Whitney, Yuki and Zeni to all look up at him in curiosity. "An Espeon that knows Crunch... Now that's something I've never seen before. And it even penetrated Scizor's armour somewhat."

Zeni gave one look to Knite and then focused his gaze back onto Zak's Pokemon.

'Come on, Scizor...' he thought. 'Zak... Beat this guy already!'

'Psychic.' Knite commanded telepathically to his Pokemon.

"Scizor, Swift attack!" Zak ordered.

The sky and surrounding scenery turned a dark blue as Espeon focused its mind on the enemy and sent a psychic blast ripping through the air directly towards Scizor. Scizor noticed this just in time and closed his eyes, spraying a beam of star-shaped rays which sliced through the air and cut through the incoming psychic waves before dissipating. Scizor then took advantage of this opportunity and flapped his wings at incredible speeds, giving him a huge boost in agility as he dashed towards Espeon with his claw raised for a second Slash attack.

Espeon was once again too fast, however, and managed to narrowly avoid the creature's attack before turning and sending a second Psychic attack towards it.

"Swords Dance, Scizor!" Zak yelled, immediately noticing the recurring attack pattern.

Scizor nodded, then shifted his weight down towards the ground where he landed with a thud and proceeded to spin on the spot, rapidly gaining speed and creating a miniature tornado which engulfed both Pokemon and obliterated the attacking psychic waves.

Knite gritted his teeth angrily at this, but managed to regain his composure as he silently watched the battle continue to unfold, his eyes locked on the tornado which was kicking up dirt and debris everywhere.

'That damn Scizor...' he thought to himself.

Suddenly Espeon was thrown from the shifting winds like a discarded piece of rubble and sent tumbling to the ground. Though the Pokemon did its best to land on its feet, it was ultimately unsuccessful and had clearly injured its front leg in the attack, as it shook slightly whilst getting back on its feet.

Scizor eventually stopped spinning and turned to face his opponent once again, his claws seeming sharper than ever as the dust and debris of the Swords Dance dissipated. Espeon glared at its opponent with fierce defiance, but as always Scizor refused to give away any sign of weakness.

"Now, Scizor!" Zak commanded. "Silver Wind!"

Scizor silently acknowledged his trainer, then kicked up another fast breeze by flapping his wings in a rapid motion. Soon even more dirt and debris was being thrown across the battlefield until Scizor had finally generated enough power to spin on the spot and sent a blast of glittering wind towards the weakened Espeon. Espeon closed its eyes in preparation for the pain of the attack, flinching as the wind seemed to cut like a knife as it passed across its body before eventually fading away.

'Morning Sun, Espeon.' Knite issued his secret command. 'Now.'

Espeon nodded weakly, then let out a soft purr as the afternoon sun suddenly seemed to concentrate its rays of light down onto the creature. Espeon was soon engulfed by the golden sunlight which seemed to melt and flow across the Pokemon's body like rich syrup. Both Zak and Scizor covered their eyes as the light grew brighter and brighter until eventually it faded away, revealing Espeon looking completely revitalised.

"Ugh..." Zak growled as he watched the newly reenergised Pokemon leap away from the spot where it once sat and began to charge a dark sphere of energy from deep within its throat. "Scizor, dodge that!"

Scizor dodged the Shadow Ball attack with ease, then proceeded to close the distance between himself and his opponent, dashing between rocks and outcroppings of rubble. Both Pokemon then continued to battle, Scizor exchanging kicks and slashes whilst Espeon would dodge and send psychic beams crashing into the Steel-type. The battle continued to be fought as a stalemate for quite some time until suddenly Espeon seemed to fade out of sight, surprising both Zak and Scizor.

Immediately the creature reappeared behind Scizor, baring its fangs and clamping its mouth down over Scizor's wounded arm. Scizor let out an uncharacteristic gasp of pain as his eyes widened and he began to lose all feeling in his injured limb. Knite smiled to himself as he watched the Steel-type fling Espeon away and lower his stance, nursing the newly reawakened wound.

"Scizor!" Zak called out in a worried tone of voice. "Are you okay?"

"I..." Scizor gasped, his breathing heavy. "I'm fine..."

Zak frowned at this. He knew that there was clearly a problem - Scizor never allowed anyone to see him injured, but at least his stubborn attitude was still intact.

"Dammit..." Scizor whispered under his breath, glaring at Knite from the corner of his eye. "That was... Toxic... This poison is excruciating... And it's only going to get worse..."

Espeon refused to allow the creature time to recover, instead choosing to send another Psybeam hurtling towards it. Scizor narrowly dodged this attack and began to close the gap between the two of them once again, flinching as he tried to ignore the pain which coursed through his metal arm.

The two Pokemon again continued to exchange blows again and it wasn't until Espeon launched a second Shadow Ball that the scales of the battle began to tip. Knite's Pokemon launched the attack directly towards Scizor, who managed to evade and then use Mimic to launch his own imitation of the Dark-type attack. This strategy proved very effective at confusing Espeon, who was immediately struck by the ball and sent skidding across the arena in wake of its effectiveness.

Espeon slowly returned to its feet, scowling at its opponent, who had proven just as powerful as it had originally anticipated. Knite's Pokemon then proceeded to close its eyes again, the sun suddenly becoming much more intense and both Zak and Scizor immediately realised that it was attempting a second Morning Sun in order to recover its energy.

"Sandstorm, Scizor!" Zak commanded. "Block out the sun! Now!"

"Dammit..." Knite hissed under his breath in response.

Scizor immediately obeyed the trainer, leaping into the air and slamming his fist down into the dry soil of the mountain battlefield. This impact sent out a huge tremor which seemed to rock the entirety of the mountainside and soon the air was filled with shifting sand and dirt which seemed to twist and bend in midair as it rode the currents of the wind, darkening the entire skyline and rendering Espeon's attempts at self-healing completely ineffective.

Espeon flinched as the debris of the sandstorm crashed fiercely into its purple fur in unrelenting waves. Scizor now realised his chance to end the match, and so with one powerful strike of his foot Knite's final Pokemon was sent skidding across the battlefield towards its trainer. Weakly Espeon attempted to climb back onto its feet before eventually fainting and conceding the match in the process.

A long silence occurred as the sandstorm continued to rage all around both the battle's competitors and spectators. Knite silently recalled Espeon into its Pokeball, then shattered the quiet of the scene by breaking into loud, uncontrollable laughter.

Scizor fell to his knees, nursing his arm as he and everyone else eyed the boy with confusion. Had the pressure of the battle finally got to him? Was his mind slowly beginning to unravel as it contained the power of Mewtwo?

"Very impressive, Zak!" Knite cackled inbetween laughter and gasps for air as he began to clap his hands and applaud his opponent loudly. "You've won! You've actually defeated me! Congratulations!"

"Uh..." Zak mumbled uncertainly. "...Thanks?"

"Well, a deal's a deal!" Knite coughed, trying to contain his laughter though failing miserably. "I'm a man of my word after all!"

Knite then proceeded to throw down all six of his Pokeballs onto the ground where he stood, causing everyone on the mountain to take on a very shocked and surprised expression.

'Is he serious...?' Zak asked himself in thought before slowly stepping forward towards Knite's end of the arena.

'Be careful, Zak...' Geol thought to himself as he watched his son approach the enemy.

Once Zak had come within a few feet of Knite he paused, hesitant to pick up the Pokeballs in case Knite attempted something drastic. The boy could only be described as unpredictable at best and Zak watched him uneasily as he continued his maniacal laughter.

"What are you waiting for?" Knite chuckled, his laughter finally beginning to subside down to a snigger. "To the victor go the spoils, after all."

Zak looked long and hard into Knite's eyes for a moment, not quite sure what he should do or say.

"It's just such a shame..." Knite continued, almost sighing as he spoke, his laughter now absent. "That I have to kill you all."

"!?" Zak gasped, leaping back just in time to narrowly avoid the deadly swing of Knite's lance as it came crashing down where he once stood.

"Dammit, I should've known..." Zak growled defiantly as Knite swung his lance back into its ready position.

"I apologise," Knite began, closing his eyes and focusing his psychic powers into the blade of his weapon, causing it to glow a light purple, "but I cannot allow you to stop my plans. I've come too far to be defeated now."

Zak got to his feet, drawing his sword slowly and preparing his stance.

"We'll see about that, Knite." he challenged the boy.

"Indeed we will." Knite acknowledged his opponent, bowing as he did so. "You are indeed a worthy adversary, perhaps even stronger than my first rival. I wish there were some other way, but your stubborn ways have forced me to cut you apart until there's nothing left."

Zak growled, his eyes narrowing as the two fighters faced off.

'And believe me when I say,' Knite's thoughts entered into Zak's mind again, a smile forming on his lips, 'that I will enjoy it.'

Knite wasted no time in launching his first wave of attacks, swinging the lance that was in his hand with effortless precision and accuracy. The psychic powers he had bestowed on the weapon seemed to make it as light as a feather and the blade exuded a tremendous heat which caused sparks to fly whenever Zak parried it with his own.

The two youths continued to exchange blows on the edge of the arena where their Pokemon had battled just minutes before, neither one conceding an inch as their eyes seemed locked on their opponents'. Zak made sure to keep his mind calmed and focused, recalling all of the training and advice that Dalton, Geol and Scizor had given him.

Knite slammed his lance down directly towards Zak's head, who quickly parried it, grunting as he felt Knite's strength bearing down upon him. Knite eventually lessened the pressure on his opponent and instead attempted a second swing to Zak's right, then his left, then a quick stab towards his chest. Zak managed to parry all of these strikes, though it was soon becoming apparent to everyone that Knite was fighting like no ordinary human ever could. All three of his minds were consciously focusing on utilising their strengths and minimising their weaknesses as they all watched and waited, eager for Zak to unwittingly reveal a defensive weak-point.

'You're slow.' Knite's thoughts echoed inside Zak's mind once more. 'Weak.'

Zak said nothing, instead growling with strength as he pushed away from yet another of Knite's powerful lunge attacks and launched his own strike, which Knite blocked without effort.

'I expected more from you.' Knite continued to taunt inside of Zak's mind. 'Especially after our last confrontation.'

Zak yelled in an effort to boost his strength as he lunged again and again, swinging the sword to the side and trying his best to exploit the weaknesses inside Knite's armour. However, every strike was once again blocked by Knite, who retaliated with a counterattack which Zak was barely able to overcome.

Zak was confused, though he did his best to not allow this confusion to show on his face as both he and Knite continued their furious duel, advancing across the entirety of the former Pokemon stadium on which they stood.

How was he so much stronger than last time? No matter what Zak tried Knite seemed to be two steps ahead of him. It wasn't as if he were fighting a human, but rather some kind of evolved being which had eyes all over its body and was almost willing Zak to do his best just so it could humiliate him even more.

Regardless, Zak knew that he was fighting the best and most well-executed battle of his life as he launched another strike towards Knite's face which was blocked again. Neither he nor Knite had made a single flaw in their timing or choice of target, yet at this rate it was Zak would inevitably lose in this stalemate. There had to be something he could do...

"Dammit, can't we do something to help!?" Yuki exclaimed, turning to Geol in anger. "This isn't even a fair fight! Knite's a psychic with two Pokemon in his body! How can Zak even hope to win!?"

"The Pokemon battle wasn't a fair fight, either," Geol replied calmly, gritting his teeth as he carefully examined every move the two combatants made against each other, "but Zak won that."

Knite continued to push Zak back towards the centre of the arena when suddenly he felt the rigid debris of Nidoqueen's previous Earthquake attack push against his heel, causing him to teeter on the earth and stumble backwards.

"Zak!" Zeni cried as he watched the boy slip and fall to the ground, keeping his sword close to him as he stumbled and managed to block yet another of Knite's advances before finally losing his grip on the hilt of his weapon.

Geol, Yuki, Whitney and Zeni all watched in muted horror as Zak gritted his teeth and looked up helplessly into the face of his opponent, who continued his assault, stepping above the boy's body and preparing his weapon for the final strike.

"Die." Knite spat, before launching the tip of his lance down directly towards Zak's neck. Zak's body was pinned against rocks and debris which rose like a mountain from the ground of the battlefield and offered no room for maneuverability, and without his sword to parry with there was no way he could defend himself.

'I'm sorry, Whitney...' he thought solemnly as he watched the razor-sharp tip of Knite's weapon speed towards his throat. 'I couldn't keep my promise...'

Zak's eyes closed tightly, refusing to see his enemy in his final moments. He expected his death to be quick, but he soon realised that he felt nothing, almost as if nothing had actually happened. A loud clash of metal against metal was heard, and Zak forced his eyes open to see the figure of Scizor standing above him, the creature's arm outstretched in defence of its master, Knite's lance still pressing against it.

"What?" Knite hissed angrily, scowling at the creature which dared to interrupt the battle.

"As long as I live," Scizor spoke firmly, glaring into Knite's purple eyes, "my master shall not die."

With those words Scizor then proceeded to thrust his arm away, toppling Knite and causing the boy to take a few steps back to stabilise himself. Knite gripped the hilt of his lance tightly and growled, quickly preparing for another strike.

"Scizor..." Zak muttered, quickly grabbing his sword and returning to his feet, ready to continue the fight. "I guess I owe you twice now, huh?"

"Something like that." Scizor answered, his tone of voice as serious as always. "Now I suggest that you even the playing field."

"And how do you suggest I do that?" Zak asked in reply, chuckling slightly as he readied his sword, keeping a close eye on Knite.

"Allow me to help you defeat this maniac." Scizor continued, then gave his trainer a warm, confident smile.

Zak was unable to contain his excitement; adrenaline seemed to be rushing through his body in waves as he stood there, side by side with Scizor, his father's most powerful and respected Pokemon.

"It would be an honour." Zak eventually returned, grinning with confidence.

"How are you going to fight with one arm, Scizor?" Knite mocked, his tone stinging. "You're completely worthless."

Scizor simply smiled at this, then both he and Zak commenced their attacks on the youth simultaneously, Scizor sending his claw down in a powerful Slash attack to Knite's right, Zak swinging his sword to the left. Knite managed to parry Scizor's claw and narrowly avoided Zak's blade, spinning around on the spot and sweep-kicking Scizor to the floor. Scizor immediately rolled to the side and regained his fighting stance before launching into another charge whilst Zak continued to battle with sword in hand.

"Yuki..." Geol began calmly, prompting the girl to look up towards him. "There is something you can do to help them."

Scizor continued battling, despite the increasing pain which shot through his injured arm and slowly began to spread to his entire body. He had endured high volumes of pain before, though it had been a long time since he had experienced something so excruciating. Nevertheless, the Steel-type refused to allow this ailment to affect his fighting ability. His entire life had just been one long training regime for this day; a day where he and his master would battle side by side for the good of Johto. Truly, it had been everything the Pokemon had expected it would be.

Knite parried yet another of Zak's sword attacks, then swung his lance away, deflecting a side blow from Scizor and kicking Zak squarely in the stomach, pushing him away. Zak coughed, winded, but soon regained his composure and rejoined the battle. As Zak resumed his position in the fight, Scizor took a step back and waited for the right moment to strike, trying to ignore the pain of his arm.

"Hey, Scizor!" Yuki called from the sidelines.

Scizor looked up, seeing the girl approach with the sword of lightning in her hand. Before the Pokemon could even begin to try and understand her reasoning for approaching, Yuki threw the weapon towards him and he quickly made sure to catch it by the hilt, admiring the blade as it glistened in the light of the slowly setting sun.

Scizor looked up towards the girl, a look of obvious puzzlement on his face. Yuki simply nodded and hurried back to where the others were watching, eagerly awaiting the outcome of the battle.

"You know what to do, Scizor..." Geol said, more to himself than anyone else, as he knew the creature couldn't hear him. "The sword of lightning and the sword of thunder. Together they can command power which rivals that of nature itself."

Finally Scizor realised what was being asked of him and, after taking a few seconds in order to show respect for the blade in his hands, turned and once again launched into the battle, gripping the hilt of the sword tightly.

As both Zak and Scizor's swords came within close proximity of each other they seemed to give off even more sparks of electricity than usual with every clash of Knite's lance. Sparks of purple and yellow both intermingled as Scizor, Zak and Knite continued to face off in the heat of the slowly approaching dusk.

Eventually Zak and Scizor began to overpower their enemy through a combination of speed, strength and unrelenting combat. Despite Knite's best efforts and his attempts at using his psychic powers to repel the magnetism of their blades, Knite was soon pushed to the edge of the mountaintop, the wind rushing through his hair as he made one last desperate swing at Zak, who jumped back and then quickly counterattacked, coiling off his back leg and springing towards his opponent. With a loud cry of determination and hope, Zak swung the sword of thunder down with all his might against Knite's lance, sending gigantic sparks of lightning flying in every direction and causing a loud snap which echoed throughout the mountain range.

Knite stumbled back onto the floor, managing to stabilise himself slightly by using his wings as a medium of balance, but he was still at an incredible disadvantage: his weapon had cracked in two and was now lying uselessly by his feet, and his back was against a cliff, whilst on his front both Scizor and Zak stood with their weapons poised at his throat.

"Now, you two!" Geol exclaimed, throwing a Pokeball down before him and having Yuki do the same. "Pin him down! Don't let him get away!"

Both Zak and Scizor acted immediately, getting to the floor and holding the boy down against the rocky outcroppings which lay on the edge of the mountain. From the corner of his eye Zak watched curiously as Yuki summoned her Haunter to the field, whilst Geol appeared to have access to none other than Velcia's Alakazam. After some brief instructions the two Pokemon closed their eyes and began to concentrate, sending out slow, hypnotic waves which penetrated deep into Knite's brain, causing him to writhe and scream in agony.

"Scizor!" Geol continued, a huge sense of urgency in his voice. "Break the collar, now!"

Scizor silently acknowledged the orders of his old master, quickly moving his claw down to where the metal bracelet was hanging around the boy's neck and snapping it in two without a second thought. The collar seemed to hiss as several small sparks flew from it before the mechanism died and was tossed to the ground.

"No!!" Knite's voice could be heard amidst the screams and shrieks. "Don't... Take it from me!!"

Zak gasped in disbelief as he watched Knite's skin slowly contort back to its original shape and deep, orange colour from when he first merged with his Charizard. Eventually the boy had lost all the features he had stolen from Mewtwo, and the sound of splitting skin could be heard loudly echoing across the mountainside. Upon turning Zak could see the unconscious form of the legendary Psychic-type Mewtwo lying face-down on the ground, as if nothing had ever happened.

Knite's screams had by now subsided and the boy appeared to have fainted from the pain he had endured. Slowly Zak and Scizor both got to their feet and turned to face Geol.

"Dad, what..." Zak began, clearly puzzled. "What did you do?"

"Well Zak," Geol explained in response, "the reason I wasn't here to help you train these past couple of days is because I was doing research on Team Rocket's fusion technology. It seems that their machine works by amplifying psychic and spectral waves in a symmetrical pattern to spiritually combine two creatures together, regardless of species."

Zak stared at his father blankly.

"To put it simply," Geol chuckled as he continued his story, "the subject's minds and 'souls' are combined as one, causing the physical body of the host to retain aspects of both creatures. The original subject's bodies remain in a spiritual form for several days, and so the minds can be reverted back into that body if the new host is subjected to similar waves which are projected in a reverse pattern."

"So you're saying..." Zak hazarded. "That it's like the two of them never merged at all?"

"Exactly." Geol nodded. "But it seems Charizard is beyond help. For some reason it didn't leave Knite's body. Perhaps it's already been too long and the soul has forgotten its physical body. Or... Perhaps it didn't want to leave."

"Huh..." Zak stammered, looking back towards where Knite's body lay. "I don't entirely understand it, but it makes sense, I guess."

"I went to see Velcia and explained the situation," Geol continued, "and she kindly leant me her Alakazam. Heh, it's pretty incredible, actually. The first thing she and I have agreed on in sixteen years. And of course Yuki's Haunter provided the spectral waves."

Haunter grinned at this, proudly imitating a bow in mid-air at the mention of it's name.

"So what are we gonna do with Knite's Pokemon?" Zak asked as he began to gather up the Pokeballs and hand them to his father.

"Well, we'll release Raikou back into the wild, of course," Geol decided, "and then we'll probably let the prison authorities decide what to do with the others. With the sentence he'll get I doubt he'll be seeing them for quite some time."

"Mew..." a voice was heard from the edge of the cliff where Knite lay, and everyone turned to see the boy slowly raising an arm as he got to his feet. "Mewtwo..."

Zak and Scizor both immediately readied their swords once again, preparing for the worst.

"Give me back..." Knite wheezed, his face and body covered in scars and bruises. "My Mewtwo..."

The mountain was filled with an uncomfortable silence, when suddenly Knite's eyes widened and he let out an ear-splitting scream which seemed to shake the entire area.

"You've taken my birthright..." he hissed, glaring straight at Zak with wide, bloodshot eyes. "You've taken everything I worked so hard for... All these years..."

There was a pause.

"I'LL KILL YOU!!" Knite screamed, aiming both of his palms at the boy and generating a huge plume of fire which shot straight towards him, burning the very ground itself as it passed.

Zak gasped and could do nothing but hold out his sword in defence as the inferno rushed towards him. As soon as the heat met with the blue steel of his sword, however, a flash of lightning seemed to cancel out Knite's attack and without a moment's hesitation both Zak and Scizor placed their swords together, coiling their arms and finally swinging straight towards Knite, a colossal bolt of electricity dispersing from the two blades and slamming straight into Knite's stomach, sending the boy screaming up into the air and down towards the vast, freezing ocean below.

Both Zak and Scizor stood over the edge of the cliff, staring out towards the sea. There was no sign of the boy, which was to be expected, considering the armour he wore. There was a long moment of silence which seemed to last for a lifetime. Zak smiled as the realisation suddenly hit him.

It was finally over.

It was at this point that Scizor fell to his knees, breathing heavily from the exhaustion of the battle. Zak looked towards the Pokemon, concern obvious in his eyes, but Scizor just smiled at him and shrugged off the pain.

"Zak!" Whitney cried, dashing towards the boy and leaping into his arms, unable to help shed some tears as she hugged him tightly. "You did it!! You really did it!"

Zak said nothing and simply smiled as he hugged the girl back, his thoughts returning to the point when Knite had attacked him with fire.

'Raikou...' he thought to himself as he stared up at the fading, orange sky. 'Were you watching over me...?'

"Congratulations, Zak." Geol applauded the boy, smiling warmly. "You did it. You went well above and beyond the call of duty as a Watcher of Raikou. I can't think of anyone I'd rather have to take my place."

Zak's eyes widened in surprise.

"You mean...?" he stuttered.

"Scizor would never show respect for anyone other than the leader, you know." Geol interrupted. "Now what do you say we all go get something to eat? My treat."

"Zak..." Scizor managed to speak as he slowly got to his feet. "Perhaps we could... Stop at a Pokemon Centre on the way?"

"Yeah, I wouldn't mind seeing nurse Joy again myself!" Zeni announced, causing groans from the rest of the group.

"Zeni, will you ever change?" Yuki sighed as she, Zeni and Geol began to lead the way down the mountain path.

Zak recalled Scizor into the Great ball, admiring it for a moment before attaching it to his belt.

"Thank you, Scizor..." he whispered gently. "I couldn't have done it without you."

Whitney slowly ended the embrace and began to follow the others down the mountain, turning just before they left the clearing.

"You coming?" she called.

"Just a second!" Zak replied cheerfully before wandering back over towards the edge of the cliff and checking the view of the northern ocean once again, hearing the sound of waves crashing against the rocks far below.

"Knite..." he spoke softly, sighing. "Why couldn't you just be happy with what you had...?"

Zak turned, then noticed that the body of Mewtwo had disappeared. Smiling at the thought of how enigmatic the legendary Pokemon were, he jogged over towards where Whitney was waiting for him and began the long trek back down the mountain, safe in the knowledge that Johto was secure thanks to the efforts of him, his friends, and his Pokemon. What had started out as a simple quest for his father had become something more than he would have ever imagined it could be, and he was now something he never thought was possible.

He was a Watcher of Raikou.


	35. Epilogue: The Curtain Falls

"...Thank you, doctor," the girl spoke with an impressive confidence in her voice as both she and her superior made their way further down the halls of the Olivine city hospital, "I just hope I can follow your excellent example."

"Don't be modest," the man chuckled back in response, smiling warmly, "your grades from medical school prove that you've got nothing to worry about. I'm looking forward to having you join our nursing team..."

Suddenly the conversation was interrupted as a nurse came rushing through the hallway, panting for breath as she finally reached the doctor.

"Doctor!" she gasped, a worried expression painted on her face. "You must come quickly, it's-"

"What on earth's the matter, Jane?" the doctor answered, frowning slightly as he spoke. "You know you're not supposed to run through the hallway."

"I..." Jane apologised, her breathing still ragged. "I'm sorry, doctor, it's just that... The patient in room Seventeen-C is..."

"Seventeen-C... That's..." the doctor quickly flipped through the papers on his clipboard at the mention of the room number, adjusting his glasses as he did so. "Tamara Ravensburg... What's wrong with her?"

"I think you should come see for yourself." Jane replied, her breath finally catching up with her.

The doctor soon complied and the three of them headed down the hallway until they eventually reached the appropriate room. Jane opened the door firmly and was the first to step in, then proceeded to move and allow the doctor and the nurse entry, who both gasped at the scene they witnessed.

The room was a small, modest affair with pure white walls and a single, raised bed which sat beside a small cabinet where a vase of flowers had been placed. On the opposite side of this was a courtesy wardrobe and sink, and to the left of these, opposite where the doctor stood, was a large, open window, the translucent hospital curtains flowing in the breeze. The bed had been completely remade and it was as if nobody had even slept in it the night before.

"What...?" the doctor managed to stammer as he surveyed the room. "What happened? Has anyone had access to this room?"

"I'm the only nurse assigned to this patient today, sir." Jane answered firmly.

"That's impossible!" the doctor continued, baffled by this predicament. "According to the notes here she was in a virtual coma! She's barely able to breathe, let alone walk and jump out of a hospital window!"

"What should I do, sir?" Jane asked, her expression remaining serious at all times.

"Notify the Olivine police department," the doctor announced, heading out of the room, "she couldn't have gone far."

"Understood." Jane acknowledged, before rushing off and leaving the other nurse standing in the middle of the abandoned room.

'Huh...' she thought to herself. 'Looks like there's never a dull moment in this profession...'

* * *

"Ticket?" the inspector grunted as Zeni made his way up the steps and onto the huge, glamorous ferry. Zeni smiled, slipping the man his ticket before proceeding through the main cabin and heading towards his bunk.

The bunk was quite close to the main dining hall, and Zeni considered himself both highly skilled and incredibly lucky for managing to steal a first class passenger's ticket to Hoenn. Grinning at his victory he casually tossed his backpack onto the bed and proceeded to stare out of the window which offered a glimpse of the shining port of Vermilion in Kanto.

It had been two months since Zak had defeated Knite on top of Mount Silver in Johto, and since then the team had all split up and gone their separate ways. Though Zeni was not upset about being alone on his travels once again, he had to admit that he missed his friends when they weren't around, but never in his lifetime would he forget the adventures they had had together.

It was only shortly after defeating Knite that the group decided to split up after sharing Pokegear numbers. Whitney continued to travel across Johto and hone her training skills, determined to one day rival Zak in power and have a rematch worthy of the Gym leader of Goldenrod; Yuki decided to make her way to the Sinnoh region and better her skills in the study of the myths and legends of Pokemon; whilst Zeni continued to wander across the countries of Johto and Kanto in order to find a place where he could finally settle down.

Zeni sighed, then smiled as he laid down on the bed and stared up at the ceiling of his cabin. He often wondered if he would ever find the place of his dreams in this huge, wide world, but at the same time he knew that the travelling was half the fun, and if Johto was anything to go by, he would make some great friends along the way.

Both Zak and Geol had decided to return to their island home, and Zeni wondered what they were up to now. Had the Watchers now officially disbanded? Would Scizor continue to serve Zak or had he finally fulfilled his duty? Whatever the outcome, Zeni was confident that if Team Rocket or anyone else crazy enough to take on a legendary Pokemon came to threaten Johto, Zak would be there to put them in their place.

"Don't worry, Zak..." Zeni whispered to himself as the morning sunshine filtered through his window. "I'll take good care of Ditto for you."

* * *

A loud clash of metal echoed across the small field which constituted the rear garden of Zak's family's house as he and Scizor continued to exchange blows in their regular, daily training routine. The two combatants leapt from either side of their small arena, Zak's sword singing as it tore through the air and crashed into Scizor's steel defence. The two rivals glared each other down, then eventually ceased their attacks.

"Your reflexes are improving all the time!" Geol commented from the sidelines, applauding loudly for both of them.

Zak's little sister, Sora, sat on the fence beside her father, imitating his applause and nodding sagely, acting as if she was approving Geol's message.

"Okay my little warriors," the voice of Zak's stepmother could be heard ringing from the nearby kitchen door, the scent of a freshly prepared meal flowing outside. "dinner's ready; come on inside!"

Zak was unable to hide a grin at the prospect of another of his mother's home-cooked meals, immediately sheathing his sword and following Geol and Sora as they headed inside.

"Say, Zak," Geol began, "would you mind giving me a hand with the Tauros after dinner?"

"Scizor, are you gonna eat with us today?" Sora asked the Steel-type Pokemon insistently, who smiled down on the girl warmly in response.

"As much as I'd like to deprive Zak of his food, I think I'll pass this time, Sora." the Pokemon chuckled back.

"Aww, come on, Scizor!" Sora protested. "Zak needs to go on a diet anyway!"

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean!?" Zak groaned, when suddenly the Pokegear in his jeans pocket began to ring, prompting him to stop and examine the caller ID listed on the front of the display. He smiled to himself as he saw the name, before speaking up again. "I'll be right there, I just wanna take this call."

Geol, Sora and Scizor all nodded, then headed into the house whilst Zak flipped open the Pokegear in order to answer the call.

"Hello?" he spoke into the device's microphone.

"Hi!" Whitney's cheerful voice spoke back through the speaker. "Long time no talk, huh?"

"Yeah, yeah!" Zak chuckled nervously. "How are you? How are things?"

"Well, I'm back at the Goldenrod Gym now..." the girl explained. "And, well... I think I'm ready for a rematch with you."

Zak paused for a moment, running his fingers through his hair as he glanced across the backyard towards the small forest which took up the majority of space on the island.

"And if that's not a good enough reason to come visit me," Whitney continued, laughing slightly as she spoke, "I'll even let you take me out to dinner again. Just like we did in Violet city!"

"Ah..." Zak joked. "That... That sounds good!"

"Zak!" the voice of Zak's mother could be heard calling his name. "Are you coming?"

"I'll be right there!" the boy yelled back, then returned to his phone conversation. "Hey, I've gotta go... Can I call you back?"

"Duty calls, huh?" Whitney teased. "Sure. I'm not gonna go easy on you this time, though!"

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Zak said.

The two trainers exchanged their goodbyes and Zak proceeded to return the Pokegear to his pocket, looking out towards the edge of the island and the sun which had already begun to set on the horizon, colouring the ocean a golden orange.

"Yes!!" he exclaimed under his breath, clenching his fist victoriously and wearing an uncontrollable grin on his face. He then turned and began to head into the house, but was stopped by the form of Scizor, who stood leaning against the door frame, looking as cold and distant as he always did.

"Scizor?" Zak stammered, surprised by the creature's sudden appearance. "Are you okay?"

"I was just wondering..." Scizor replied, looking up towards his trainer calmly. "Was that Whitney?"

"Yeah." Zak revealed. "She says she's finally ready for that rematch I promised her."

"A new adventure?" Scizor wondered out loud. "In that case, I would like to request to travel with you once again."

"Scizor..." Zak smiled at this. "You know you don't have to, right? You're free to do what you want now."

Scizor smiled back before answering.

"I can think of no greater honour than to travel with the greatest Watcher of them all."

Zak nodded to the creature, who nodded back, a respect between the two warriors obvious to any who looked upon them.

"Come on," Zak laughed, leading Scizor back into the kitchen, "I'll let you share my pancakes."

* * *

**wasurekaketa nanika wo sagashinagara**  
_(As I search for something I was beginning to forget,)_  
**kegare no nai tsubasa wo dakishimetai**  
_(I want to hold on tightly To the wings of purity.)_

**namiuchigiwa ni umoreteta kanashimi no kaigara**  
_(The shell of sadness was being covered by the crest of a wave,)_  
**hirotte aruita hibi wa mou sutete shimaou**  
_(Those days I was picking my way through already have to be cast away.)_

**suna no nemuri ga sameru koro shiawase no hana taba**  
_(When the sands waken from their sleep a bouquet of happiness,)_  
**kaze ga hakonde kite kureta mou furikaeranai**  
_(Was carried over by the wind; no longer can I look back.)_

**kono hoshi no dokoka de egao ga umareteru**  
_(Somewhere on this planet a smiling face is born.)_  
**saa kimi to yukou te wo tsunaide**  
_(Well, I shall go with you; please hold my hand.)_

**wasurekaketa nanika wo sagashinagara**  
_(As I search for something I was beginning to forget,)_  
**kegare no nai tsubasa wo dakishimetai**  
_(I want to hold on tightly to the wings of purity.)_

**sorairo ni somaru hitomi KIRA KIRA kagayaite**  
_(Eyes dyed in sky-blue sparkle brightly,)_  
**sugisatte yuku ano hibi wa mou tooi maboroshi**  
_(Those days that will pass us by are already a distant dream.)_

**omoide no kawa wataru tabi okubyou ni natteta**  
_(The time I forded the river of memories I was becoming cowardly,)_  
**kedo kimi ga ite kureta kara**  
_(However, because you were there for me,)_  
**mou yuuki wo daseru**  
_(I could still put out courage.)_

**kono hoshi wa itsu demo yume ga afureteiru**  
_(This planet is always overflowing with dreams.)_  
**saa kimi to yukou donna toki mo**  
_(Well, I shall go with you - always)._

**kowaresou na kokoro wo mamorinagara**  
_(As I protect this seemingly-fragile heart,)_  
**kimi no atsui manazashi wo miteitai**  
_(I want to be looking at your hot gaze.)_

**wasurekaketa nanika wo sagashinagara**  
_(As I search for something I was beginning to forget,)_  
**kegare no nai tsubasa wo dakishimetai**  
_(I want to hold on tightly to the wings of purity.)_

**Jabba's Park presents:  
Watchers of Raikou  
A Pokemon Fanfiction**

Written and directed by Gazmof  
Art direction by busterwolf  
Banners by Gazmof and Saffire Persian

**Cast**  
Zak Vangard  
Knite Ferasim  
Whitney Akane  
Zenith "Zeni" Ainsborough  
Yuki Kitsuga  
Tamara Ravensburg  
Geol Vangard  
Velcia Kitsuga

**Special Mentions**  
Lance  
Tanner  
Axel  
Rackus

All characters not owned by Nintendo are the property of Gazmof.

Final Episode Opening Theme: "Northern Lights" by Megumi Hayashibara (as heard in the anime Shaman King)  
Lyrics lifted from:  
Episode Ending Theme: "Pure Again" by Akari Kaida and Yoshino Aoki (As heard in the video game Breath of Fire 3)  
Lyrics lifted from:  
available on Jabba's Park Records

**Special Thanks**  
Saffire Persian  
busterwolf  
Raevell  
Mawile XD  
Air Dragon  
Sike Saner  
Morpher01  
Nintendo  
And everyone at Jabba's Park

**"Watchers of Raikou _Will_ Return"**

Presented by Gazmof

Thank you for reading!!

* * *

The sound of soothing waves stretched out for miles, with no land in sight: just bright blue ocean and sky for as far as the eye could see. Amid the glistening waters lay a pile of driftwood and wreckage which had been sailing for weeks, and amongst this debris was the body of a young man, his clothes torn and his skin a faded orange colour, his eyes shut in a state of deep unconsciousness.

'You will not die.' a voice echoed inside the dark, empty blackness of the boy's mind as his body continued to drift with the current in the middle of the ocean. 'I will not allow it.'


End file.
